Runes of Magic PC video game has launched

After a successful beta test Runes of Magic has launched

Frogster today announced that the highly anticipated free to play massively multiplayer online role-playing game Runes of Magic has now commercially launched. From today players can immerse themselves in the first chapter called ‘Rise of the Demon Lord’ and experience the wonders of Taborea. Runes of Magic is available as a free download from the official website: www.runesofmagic.com.

Anyone who has not yet registered can do so for free at the official website www.runesofmagic.com and leap into the adventures right away. Players with existing accounts can continue to use their characters created during the beta. Fans can also expect an expanded game world in comparison with the previous open beta phase version. New quests and an epic quest series, as well as new instances offer fresh game content. A final fine-tuning of the German and English translations and bug fixes have also been implemented. The fantasy world will soon been expanded with the addition of ‘Ravenfell’, a coastal area with a distinct pirate flavour. The game world will be further complemented by regular updates following the release.

Runes of Magic – a world full of wizardry and adventure
Runes of Magic was commercially released on 19th March. After a successful open beta that saw the population soar to over half a million players with 725,000 created characters. All interested players can continue to download the fantasy online role-play game for free at www.runesofmagic.com and following a short registration process, can plunge into the game world.

With an extensive range of features Runes of Magic prepares to redefine the standard of free2play MMO games. Runes of Magic conveys an absorbing story through more than 1.000 quests embedded in an atmospheric fantasy setting. Players can choose between six main classes and combined with a secondary class they present 30 individual combinations of character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts like war horses and more. A particularly attractive feature for guilds and players is the possibility to arrange their own virtual homes with individual furnishing. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, thrilling PVP, as well as demanding dungeons and boss-monsters, no wishes remain unsatisfied. The Taiwanese developer Runewaker has developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards within a time frame of three years. The studio will provide new challenges for players every four to five months with free add-ons and updates. MMO fans can find more information, pictures and videos on the official website www.runesofmagic.com.

Features

- Free to play: no monthly fees, free download
- Extensive dual class system (six primary and secondary classes)
- Versatile spell- and attack-combinations
- Enthralling background story
- More than 1.000 quests and quest series on launch
- No zone boundaries thanks to seamless architecture
- Dungeons: Instanced and tile based as well as persistent
- Individually developable skills and spells
- Armour sets with special bonuses
- Dynamic item system with hundreds of runes for upgrading
- Optional PvP system with arena battles and guild wars
- Ranking system with player-ranking lists
- Multitude of unique mounts
- Epic crafting system with the chance to improve existing items
- Personalization of player houses through individual furnishing
- Reputation system
- Customisable user interface with the option to use Add-Ons
- Map and radar system to find dealers, resources and quests easily
- In-game auction houses for trading items
- Teleport-Runes for instant travel
- Mouse and keyboard controls for movement
- Regular updates with new content
- Guild castles in special zones
- Cross-server fights in three-server-battle in development

Facts
Titel: Runes of Magic
Genre: Fantasy-MMORPG
Platform: Windows-PC
Publisher: Frogster Online Gaming
Developer: Runewaker Entertainment Ltd.
Release: March 19th 2009
PEGI: 12+

American McGee’s - Alice - PlayStation 3 video game

American McGee and EA Reunite For the Next Chapter in EA's Classic Alice Franchise

Electronic Arts and Spicy Horse today announced that they have signed a publishing deal for an all-new title based on EA’s 2000 classic, American McGee’s Alice. The game reunites EA with American McGee, the creative visionary behind the original game. The new title is in development for the PC, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game console.

“This new project is a dream come true for me and the fans who’ve kept the Alice flame alive,” said American McGee, senior creative director at Spicy Horse. “EA gave us creative latitude and support on the original game which resulted in something beautiful and daring. This trip through the looking glass promises to be even more exciting.”

“EA Partners is thrilled to team up with American McGee and Spicy Horse on the next installment of the Alice franchise,” said David DeMartini, senior vice president and general manager of EA Partners. “American McGee’s interpretation of Alice was an instant classic, and EA Partners is ready to help him bring his innovative vision for the franchise to even darker, more exciting places.”

Spicy Horse was represented in the deal by CAA and Weissman Wolff.

Age of Conan gets major upgrade - new dungeons, PvP and much more

Today's update introduces several brand new high level dungeons to the Hyborian world such as ‘Xibaluku’, ‘The Slaugherhouse Cellar’, ‘Cradle of Decay’ and also opening up an additional part to the level 80 raid dungeon ‚Black Ring Citadel’. And there is a series of other significant updates to various game mechanics like raid loot options and GUI updates, PvP resources for tradeskills, tweaking of several raid boss encounters and quests.

New Dungeons

Headlining the bill in this update is a lot of great new high level content whether you are looking for some solo fun, an engaging group activity or ready to face some new raid challenges!

Thunder River is the location of the new level 80 dungeon instance for small groups. The Acheronians called it ‘Xibaluku’, and the Picts have found the blood magic of the Acheronians and seek to make the power their own. Xibaluku contains up to a dozen boss encounters, some are essential to progress while others are completely optional but all have been designed to try and provide a really dynamic and changing experience in the dungeon. Some of the bosses may even appear with different abilities or in different forms across different visits!

To gain access to Xibaluku players must first dare the brand new solo experience in ‘The Slaughterhouse Cellar’ at level 80 also in the Thunder River playfield. Players will have to go there on their own to look for the mysterious shards made out of an unknown metal, which can only be found in the cellar. But the ghosts of the fallen haunt this place and make it dangerous for both Picts as well as players.

Raiders will be happy to know there are new challenges for them to test their skills against! The ‘Black Ring Citadel’ Wing 3 raid dungeon instance is now accessible from between the already existing entrances to Wing 1 and Wing 2 and provides level 80 raid-groups with new challenges such as the sorceress Athyr-Bast and the demon Leviathus.

Last but not least: the ‘Cradle of Decay’ is a group instance that offers players around level 43 a brand new place to discover and test their mettle while hunting for experience and loot. All life seems to have been sucked out of this rotten place and the player group will have to stand up against a seductive mistress, a wrathful mother and a horrid master – among other dangers.


PVP Updates and new Lootable Resources

This update sees a massive update to the PVP systems with over fifty improvements, tweaks and additions to PvP Minigames, Massive PvP sieges and the PvP Notoriety system. The key new addition we also introduce a new game mechanic for PvP resources. This new feature will make it necessary to gather special resources in the Border Kingdoms which will be needed to build, repair and maintain battle-keeps. Adding further meaning to the open world PVP experience these new resources can be found in the Cimmerian End of the Border Kingdoms, be warned though any enemy killing you will be able to loot any PVP resources you carry from your corpse!


Raid Encounter Changes

In the ongoing process to update and improve the many raid boss encounters in the game, this update also features many adjustments to the behaviour of bosses such as Yakhmar, Kyllikki, Vistrix and others.


GUI Adjustments

Together with dozens of tweaks and adjustments to the User Interface, this update also introduces a brand new Master Loot option. This allows group leaders to designate one group member as the Master Looter who will then be in control of loot distribution during a raid. And there are also many additional options for every player to configure a personalized loot distribution during raids and group adventures.


Additional Updates

In addition to all the updates mentioned above this update brings many more changes on topics like combat, quests, items, tradeskills, mounts and guild features – just to mention a few.


For the full list of updates and changes please refer to the update notes available on the official Age of Conan forums.

We hope you enjoy this update as much as we do!

Official website

Killzone frame rate drops to 20fps - that's low!

Killzone 2 is arguably the most technically impressive game of modern times, but its engine can come under pressure.

By now you must have played the Killzone 2 demo. A perfect showcase for the game, but if you can believe it, it doesn't hold a candle to latter levels. Particle effects and hundreds of dynamic light sources abound; the attention to detail is stunning.

Video at end of post...

The game's engine performs relatively well throughout, with Guerrilla Games already admitting that they use the PlayStation 3's SPU processors to make sure the 30 frames-per-second refresh rate stays intact.

As the game progresses the special effects (usually a description used for movies) go into hyper-drive and it's almost unbelievable that the PlayStation 3 manages to keep up with it.



Full post on Gamezine here...

Jagged Alliance Nintendo DS video game

Empire Interactive today released a slew of assets, including box art, logo and screen shots for the upcoming, strategy role-playing game, Jagged Alliance for Nintendo DS. Expected to ship in North America in the Spring of 2009, the turn-based RPG combines a unique mix of high technology, tactical maneuvering and strategic planning with a compelling storyline that will test the limits of players’ strategy and role-playing skills.

The highly revered classic was originally released for PC in 1994 as part of a series of award-winning strategy games. In its DS debut, Jagged Alliance will boast a unique blend of turn-based combat, strategy and role-playing, creating a compelling and addictive playing experience unlike almost anything else. The non-linear gameplay will uniquely unfold based entirely on the player’s moves and decisions.

Releasing in Spring 2009 on Nintendo DS, Jagged Alliance will have an ESRB rating of “T” for “Teen” and will retail for $29.99.

NASA multiplayer video game - Astronaut

NASA wanted a massively multiplayer online game, and now they're getting one, signing three separate development studios to work on Astronaut: Moon, Mars, and Beyond.

While video game players have long dreamed of traveling into the stars and meeting exotic alien species, real outer space is relatively boring. Now NASA seeks to change all of that with the development of a massively multiplayer online exploration game called Astronaut: Moon, Mars, and Beyond. NASA has selected three development studios to work on the project - Project Whitecard, Information in Place, and Virtual Heroes - the last of which did work on America's Army.

Astronaut will have players team up in order to complete various missions involving the past, present, and near future of space exploration. How exciting is that?

"Players will pick a profession like a roboticist, space geologist, astrobiologist or mechanical engineer and work together as a team as they explore space and complete missions, establishing bases and outposts and traveling to the farthest reaches of the solar system," explained Jerry Heneghan, founder and CEO of Virtual Heroes, which has previously worked on the U.S. Department of Defense's "America's Army" videogame. "The game will offer both individual challenges and team-based objectives to encourage players to use real-life applications of science, math and engineering to unlock new in-game vehicles, spacesuits, robotics and mining apparatus that will propel them further into space."

Wow. Not that exciting at all. I mean, the robototicist and astrobiologist classes sound like a hoot, but space geologist? That's just geologist with the word space in front of it. That's lazy.

Astronaut: Moon, Mars, and Beyond is being groomed for release sometime next year. Let's hope that between now and then they come up with a name that doesn't make me want to buy bath towels.

Source: Kotaku

Little King's Story video game on Nintendo Wii

Highly anticipated Nintendo Wii role-playing game to debut in Europe on April 24th

Watch my HD video here... please subscribe

Rising Star Games today confirms the release date of April 24th 2009 for the highly anticipated strategy RPG Little King’s Story.

In a move rarely seen for a new Japanese IP, the title will be released in PAL territories first, emphasising the growing importance of the European market.

Little King’s Story is a unique collaboration between the games industry’s most prodigious talents. Boasting a team of legendary designers – whose portfolios include a range of highly-acclaimed and much-loved titles such as Harvest Moon, No More Heroes, Final Fantasy XII and Super Mario PRG – Little King’s Story is a funny, charming and surprisingly deep PRG, designed to appeal to both casual and core gamers alike.

“With such a legendary team of designers behind it, Little King’s Story promises to be one of the games of the year,” says Yen Hau, product marketing assistant, Rising Star Games. “Our focus is on bringing the very best Japanese games to Europe – and we’ve worked incredibly hard to ensure that our gamers will be able to play this ground-breaking collaborative title ahead of its native release. Mark 24th April down in your diaries now – and cross out the following few weeks: Little King’s Story will be the game to play this spring.”

With an art style that is very ‘story-book’ in look and with a magical fairy tale quality, this ground-breaking collaboration of creative talent has created a game that will intrigue and delight gamers of both casual and core groups. By combining gameplay elements from life-simulation, real-time strategy and adventure genres, the many aspects of creating a vast kingdom come to life. As the King, players will manage and involve their townspeople in the goals of creating this new territory; enlisting them to dig for treasure, build new buildings and otherwise better their community.

Little King’s Story will be available throughout all PAL territories from April 24th 2009.

Operation Flashpoint - Dragon Rising much-anticipated military shooter

Operation Flashpoint - Dragon Rising, the much-anticipated military shooter that marks the return of the genre-defining conflict series, breaks from cover today with the reveal of its visual identity and the release of a studio insight video. Showcasing the cutting edge technology that will take gamers closer to war than they’ll ever want to get, the video is now available to view and download from www.flashpointgame.com.

Watch the amazing HD video here... please subscribe

Set to deliver the most accessible, engaging and visceral sandbox shooter of the year, Operation Flashpoint - Dragon Rising is being developed using an evolved variant of the EGO™ Engine, Codemasters Studios’ proprietary technology platform. A cross-format iterative technical project, developed with accreditation from platform holders, the EGO Engine has previously been used to great effect in the creation of award-winning titles Colin McRae: DiRT and Race Driver: GRID. The EGO Engine video released today demonstrates how this technology powers everything from minute detail to grand landscapes; delivering the most immersive real world effects and environments ever seen in a FPS.

“The advantage of investing in our own technology is that we can custom-build major engine components specifically suited to each title; such as dynamically lit particle effects for gunfire and explosions, incredible vehicle detail and extensive worlds that you can literally get lost in” said Brant Nicholas, Senior Producer, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising

“Everything that the EGO Engine does adds to the experience and tension of being in a serious conflict situation where one shot can kill. Using the engine’s rendering tech and customised audio systems, we can make players feel the danger and adrenaline rush of modern combat, immersing them in the battle as deeply as possible. The realism of the game and its artistic content goes along way towards that, but having tech driving the detail and effects will give players a real sense of what it’s like to have a 80mm mortar shell land 30ft away – it lifts the playing experience to a whole new level.”

A new high-impact visual identity was also unveiled with the reveal of the game’s logotype and pack design. “As a pillar title for Codemasters in 2009, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising benefits from a very stylish and focussed art direction that is reflected throughout the game, its front end and will be carried through to its on-shelf presence,” said Alex Bertie, VP Brand & Marketing, Codemasters.

“The logo is a reinvention of the original with an updated contemporary design to reflect a news ticker style and ties to the gritty documentary style of the game’s visuals. Dropping the ‘2’ from the logo is a further nod to the original and tightens the game’s title itself. The packaging also echoes the game’s dramatic and powerful imagery, combining mono photography of an ‘unknown soldier’, in authentic USMC uniform, with a treated in-game background. It’s a high-impact direction befitting of the game’s intense combat experience.”

Coming this summer for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Games For Windows, Operation Flashpoint - Dragon Rising will see players engaged in the lethality of a deadly conflict against the full force of the Chinese PLA on the huge open-world island of Skira. Take a step closer to war than ever before with the game’s trailer and the new EGO Engine video, along with the latest in-game screenshots, all available online at www.flashpointgame.com.

Gobliiins 4 - the Return of the Legend PC video game

Pierre Gilhodes, one of the creators of the original Goblins series of quests, kept silence for more than 10 years – drawing comic books, and also drawing a conclusion that the world has forgotten how to make funny and clever quests.
In 2006, Pierre lost his patience and decided to return Goblins into the world of computer games. He teamed up with a small studio from south of France, Société Pollene, and with an independent production fund from Moscow, Snowberry Connection, to work on Gobliiins 4.
In this forth chapter, the game returns to where it all began: the main characters are the three goblins, each a unique personality with his own set of skills. Tchoup can pick items and keep them in his pockets, and he’s a detective. His friend Stucco is not as good at the deductive reasoning (to be honest, he’s not good at all!) – but he is strong enough to do lifting and climbing. The third goblin, Perlius, is the one with the magic powers and a dark sense of humor.

GAMEPLAY CONCEPT

The games mix elements of adventure and puzzle gaming. In essence, the player must find the solution to each level, in order to progress to the next. An original aspect of the series is that the player usually controls multiple goblins as player characters, each of whom has a unique set of abilities (the number of letter it’s in the word "Goblin" of the title indicates the number of characters that the player may control). The player may only control one character at a time but, depending on the specific scene, may switch characters at will.

THE GOBLINS BEHIND THE GOBLINS

Gobliiins 4 is developed by Société Pollene (France), designed Pierre Gilhodes and produced by Snowberry Connection (Russia). It is a rare case of Russo-French co-production which puts Napoleon’s ambition to shame, look at the wonders these nations can do when they work together!

Genre: Quest
Release: Spring 2009
Languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish,
Russian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian
Format: DVD-ROM (PC Windows) and also via digital distribution

Capcom set to announce new game

Capcom to Announce New Game...
A teaser message via Xbox Live states a new game will be announced in trailer form Feb 23rd.
Lots of site are speculating - we don't...

Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. original music by Tom Salta

Salta Records with A-list Musicians in New York for the New Title in the Prestigious Tom Clancy's Video Game Franchise

Composer and music producer Tom Salta, whose previous credits include the MTV VMA-nominated original score for Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter (GRAW) and the acclaimed sequel Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2, has written and recorded the exhilarating original music score for Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X, the first air-combat game set in the world-renowned Tom Clancy's video game universe. Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X will be available March 3, 2009 for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. The Windows-based PC version of the game will be released the following week.

Developed by Ubisoft's Bucharest studio, Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X delivers an intense and authentic aerial combat experience by fully leveraging the benefits of the current-generation platforms. To emphasize the game's cutting-edge technology, devastating firepower, and intense dogfights, Salta composed an adrenalized and emotionally-charged live orchestral / electronic hybrid score recorded at Legacy Studios in New York with A-list musicians from the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

"In Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X we had to explore five emotional dimensions: the patriot, the life of a mercenary, betrayal, hopelessness and open war on U.S. soil," said Emil Gheorghe, producer of H.A.W.X. "Tom Salta managed not only to tie all these elements together in an astoundingly rich and memorable score but he also crafted an acoustical identity for our game to stand up in the midst of the Tom Clancy's titles. Using orchestral arrangements, high-tech sounds and a mix of traditional instruments, he built an incredibly diverse soundtrack ranging from flavorful traditional themes to military tracks."

To preview samples of Salta's music for the game, visit the official website at http://hawxgame.com/.

Tom Salta's other video game credits include Ubisoft's exclusive first-person action title for the Wii home video game system from Nintendo, Red Steel, drawing from traditional and contemporary Japan for the game's original soundtrack which received IGN's Wii Award for Best Original Score. Recording under the artist name Atlas Plug, he is currently writing the follow-up to his highly acclaimed debut solo album 2 Days or Die. For more information on Tom Salta visit www.tomsalta.com.

Hello Kitty Online beta preview extended until 22nd February

"Helping Hearts" invites players to craft virtual items for real orphanage

Sanrio Digital today announced an extension of the current beta preview of Hello Kitty Online, the official massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) of the Hello Kitty universe. Hello Kitty Online will remain open to the public until 23:00 (11 PM) EST on Sunday, February 22, 2009. The current Valentine Day-themed event has been phased into a charity event named “Helping Hearts”, in which players will craft virtual items that Sanrio Digital will convert to real world clothing donations to an orphanage.

“Helping Hearts” starts at 21:00 (9 PM) EST on February 19, 2009. Hello Kitty Online players will have to use teamwork and organizational skills to collect resources and craft specific virtual shirts and bags. At the end of the event, items crafted and submitted by players will be counted and Sanrio Digital will donate a corresponding number of real, limited edition Hello Kitty shirts and bags to an orphanage. The three guilds with the highest donation values will be declared winners and will be featured on the Hello Kitty Online game site. To join this event or play the Hello Kitty Online beta preview, simply sign up to SanrioTown and download and install the game client from www.hellokittyonline.com. Log in to the game using your SanrioTown username and password.

“Helping Hearts” continues Hello Kitty Online’s efforts to recruit players for socially responsible causes. In the previous charity event, called “Food For Friends”, beta players were asked to craft virtual food items that Sanrio Digital then tallied and converted into a cash donation to charity. Thus, participants in “Food For Friends” effectively raised about USD 12,000 in charity donations to UNICEF and the Asian Youth Orchestra.

“Helping Hearts” begins at 21:00 (9 PM) EST on February 19 and ends at 23:00 (11 PM) EST on February 22, 2009. Hello Kitty Online will be closed after that time to continue work on the game. Contest results and further details will be provided on www.hellokittyonline.com.

All-new downloadble time trial pack for Mirror's Edge

Leave the city behind! DICE announced today that the highly acclaimed first-person action adventure title, Mirror’s Edge has released downloadable content (DLC) for the PLAYSTATION 3, the Xbox 360 and the PC.

Watch my HD video here... please subscribe

Players will be challenged to achieve the fastest times possible on nine races across seven all-new and totally redesigned Time Trial maps. No guns, no cops, and no city: this is true aesthetics, agility and flow that will challenge any runner. This special DLC pack is available for £7 or 800 Microsoft points. As an added bonus, all PLAYSTATION 3 Mirror’s Edge fans can now download an additional map for free.

Time Trial is a popular mode in Mirror’s Edge that challenges players to find the fastest route across various maps. Players can upload their best time to the Mirror’s Edge leaderboards for their friends to download and compete against. Players can see their friend’s ‘ghost’ run as they race their way through the course to the top of the leaderboards.

Mirror’s Edge delivers players straight into the shoes of Faith, a modern day heroine who traverses the vertigo-inducing cityscape, engaging in intense combat, fast-paced chases and challenging puzzles. With a never-before-seen sense of movement and perspective, players are drawn into Faith’s dangerous world.

Players can also experience Faith in 2D this Friday when the hand-crafted animation and old school platform game by Brad Borne, creator of Fancy Pants, goes live at www.mirrorsedge2d.com

SingStar to get wireless microphones

Sony has announced they will finally be releasing wireless mics for their Singstar games . The mics will come with a new version of the game, SingStar Pop Edition, which will be released March 20th. If Pop is not your thing, then tough luck, as the mics will not be sold seprately.

The mics will be compatabile with both the both PS2 and PS3, and there is a chance they could work with Rock Band as well, although that is not confimred.

Get ready to unleash the SingStar within - with the launch of brand-new Wireless SingStar Microphones from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE). Rated as ‘excellent’ by the SingStar community, Wireless SingStar Microphones will have you and your friends performing from couch to table-top - completely leads-free! Coming to UK stores on 20th March, the launch of Wireless SingStar Microphones coincides with the release of SingStar Pop Edition for PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3).

With full focus on the SingStar community, SCEE asked community members to trial the new Wireless SingStar Microphones and offer their feedback. An amazing 99% of participants rated their microphones as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’, while SingStar community member Stuart from the UK said “Wireless Mics kick ass!” Dave Ranyard of Executive Producer of the SingStar franchise says “We’re excited with the community’s response to Wireless Mics. Now SingStars can enjoy their experience wire-free – and test them out with the exciting launch of SingStar: Pop Edition along with hundreds of new tracks in SingStore. We’re looking forward to seeing your brand-new wireless videos at My SingStar Online or www.singstargame.com.”;

Easy to pass around or keep to yourself; Wireless SingStar Microphones are lots of fun and easy to use. Test them out with brand-new SingStar Pop Edition, with brand-new voice control feature. Unleash some attitude with P!nk’s So What? Then grab your best mate for a pop duet with Jordin Sparks feat. Chris Brown’s No Air , rock out with Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer or perform a sexy solo with Sam Sparro’s Black and Gold. Here’s the international playlist:

Alphabeat 10.000 Nights Of Thunder
Amy Winehouse Rehab
Black Kids I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance
Bon Jovi Livin' On A Prayer
Chris Brown With You
Chris De Burgh Lady In Red
Cyndi Lauper True Colors
Gloria Estefan Rhythm Is Gonna Get You
Jordin Sparks feat. Chris Brown No Air
Kaiser Chiefs Never Miss A Beat
Kate Nash Mouthwash
Kings Of Leon Sex On Fire
Klaxons Gravity's Rainbow
Little Jackie The World Should Revolve Around Me
N*E*R*D Sooner Or Later
P!nk So What!
Queen Bohemian Rhapsody [DSCIMG]
Robbie Williams Angels
Robyn Be Mine
Rockwell Somebody's Watching Me
Sam Sparro Black And Gold
Solange I Decided
Sugababes Girls
The Feeling Rose
The Killers Human
The Police Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
The Script The Man Who Can't Be Moved
Will Young Changes
will.i.am Feat Cheryl Cole Heartbreaker
Yazoo Don't Go

Meanwhile the brand-new Voice Control function Only compatible with PLAYSTATION 3 available with SingStar Pop Edition means you won’t need to worry about picking up your PS3 controller as you sing along. Simply speak into your Wireless SingStar Microphones and announce which track you want to sing next - and it will appear on your screen! Plus you can even shop and search through your SingStore Carousel using your voice! Being a SingStar’s never been so much fun…

Wireless SingStar Microphones come with improved high-quality sound and are compatible with both PS3 and PlayStation 2. So cue the lights, turn up the volume and get ready to unleash the SingStar inside you when Wireless SingStar Microphones are launched 20th March whilst SingStar Pop Edition hit stores in April.

Unreal Tournament 3 - Titan Pack Expansion details

Unreal Tournament 3 - Titan Pack is a major expansion to the award-winning Unreal Tournament 3. The Titan Pack gives players a substantial amount of enhanced features and new content, including many original environments, new gametypes, the namesake Titan mutator, powerful deployables and weapons, new characters, and the Stealthbender vehicle.

Also included are sweeping enhancements to AI, networking performance, UI usability and mod support, plus the addition of 57 PS3 Trophies and Steam Achievements to make the UT3 experience even more satisfying. The “Titan Pack” also brings client-side demo recording, major Server Browser enhancements, a new maplist system, plus mid-game mutator and gametype voting functionality to the PC, while additional PS3 upgrades include split-screen support, mod browsing and Trophy support.

“Unreal Tournament 3: Titan Pack” includes:

* 16 environments – four Warfare, three vCTF, six Deathmatch, and three CTF maps – that are new to the PC and PS3 versions
* Three bonus pack maps, CTF-Face, CTF-Searchlight and DM-Morbias
* The namesake Titan mutator, which lets players overwhelm opponents as a 15 foot tall titan, or crush them as a 30 foot tall Behemoth
* Greed and Betrayal, two gametypes that breed new-found fervor throughout the competitive UT3 arena
* Two powerful weapons, the Stinger Turret and Eradicator Cannon artillery
* Two valuable deployables, the X-Ray Field and Link Station
* The Slow Field power-up, a portable version of the Slow Field deployable
* Stealthbender, a new vehicle that carries two spidermine trap deployables, one EMP mine, and one each of the new Link Station and X-Ray Field deployables
* Two new characters, Nova and Kana
* 57 awards attainable as Steam Achievements and PS3 Trophies
* Broad improvements for PC and PS3: Significant AI enhancements, especially in vehicle gametypes; networking performance upgrades; greatly improved menu flow and UI usability; better mod support
* Client-side demo recording, highly improved Server Browser, a new maplist system, plus mid-game mutator and gametype voting functionality for PC
* High demand PS3 features including PS3 Trophy support, two-player split-screen support, and mod browsing

Pokemon Diamond on Nintendo DS Unlockable guide

Pokemon Diamond, or Pocket Monsters Diamond, as it is know in Japan, is a role-playing game developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo exclusively for its hugely-popular Nintendo DS handheld gaming console.The title is part of the Pokemon RPG series, which also comprises releases such as Pokemon Pearl or Pokemon Platinum. Based on the world famous Pokemon anime series, it was first launched in its native Japan on September 28, 2006, and reached North American and European shores on April 22, and July 27, 2007, respectively.
Both Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl are set in the fictional world of Sinnoh, which is the habitat of 493 different species of Pokemons, a special type of animals that possess different kinds of powers that can be used in the fight against their enemies. As all Pokemon stories, this title documents the journey of a young trainer who needs to raise and battle Pokemons, all of this while investigating a criminal organization that wants to hurt the creatures.

Features such as Internet play, via the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection, or changes to the gameplay and battle mechanics are also present in the title, which aims at giving a fresh new experience to Pokemon fans all across the world. Older concepts such as Pokemon contests are also introduced, in order to bring back the old fans of the anime series and older video games. Pokemon Diamond and Pearl are similar in some ways, but cover different stories and don't have the same gameplay mechanics. In order to complete the Pokedexes of the two titles, you must trade between them in order to uncover new species of animals.

The game has received positive reviews, with critics praising the Wi-Fi features, which enable players to engage in some interesting battles, and the gameplay that, although being based on almost the same principles as older titles, has managed to offer an entertaining experience. Sales have been very good, with the game shipping around 15 million units worldwide, thanks to the big number of Pokemon fans out there.

UNLOCKABLES

Trainer card ranks

Complete any of the following tasks in any order to earn a star and change the color of your trainer card, as indicated below: Defeat the Elite Four, win all of the Master Rank Contests, complete the Underground Flag mini-game with friends, capture 482 different Pokemons, or win 100 times in a row at the Battle Tower.

Blue Trainer Card (one star);
Bronze Trainer Card (two stars);
Silver Trainer Card (three stars);
Gold Trainer Card (four stars);
Black Trainer Card (five stars).

New and improved PDC World Championship Darts 2009 on Nintendo Wii

The throwing method with the Wii Remote in PDC World Championship Darts 2009 is all new, having been re-designed and improved, from the 2008 version. The mechanism has been completely rewritten to give you the most realistic darts throwing experience yet – so you’ll have no excuse if you miss an easy shot!

Oxygen and Rebellion studios have strived to give darts fans a throwing gesture as realistic as possible using the Wii Remote. PDC Darts 2009 will have 3 throwing assist levels; Max, Min and Off. Max will allow those not experienced at throwing real darts the ability to keep up with the games professional players, Min and Off modes will challenge players with greater experience taking power, dart weight and accuracy into account.

Phil The Power Taylor, who has been working with Rebellion and Oxygen to improve the throwing method said “The throwing method is smooth, fluid and simple. Oxygen have really improved upon last year’s version and it feels the same as throwing a real dart with the advantage being that I don’t have to walk to the dart board to take out the arrows!”

Steve Hart, Producer at Rebellion commented “We wanted to offer people the ability to compete against the worlds top Darts players, those starring in the game compete at their real life dart averages. We knew we couldn’t expect everyone to keep up with such professional play. In order to achieve this we had to first, design and implement a throwing gesture that felt natural and as close to the real thing as possible. Once this was in place we went to work on offering different levels of “Assist Mode” as per last years game, where by assisting people with the throw accuracy, power etc. the game offered a more forgiving game mechanic, or with Assist Off, as close to the real thing as a computer game could ever provide. We’re very happy with the results.”

Jim Scott, CEO of Oxygen Games added “We got some criticism from a few passionate sports and darts fans last year who thought the throwing method could be improved. We took everything they said on board and have now created the purest and most realistic darts experience to date. We are sure anyone who tries this version will not be disappointed.”

Specific Improvements:

1. Assist modes cover more areas than previous version.
2. PDC2009 has a more intuitive system, whereby aim reticule can be re-locked into same position.
3. The gesture is more sensitive and accurate
4. On screen feedback is centred on the reticule, so all info is provided at the point of interest, instead of looking into a corner as in the previous version.
5. Dart weights are taken into account this year. So if you’re throwing high all the time, select a heavier dart rather than tweaking your gesture.
6. Relentless Focus Testing to ensure we knew where it was wrong, and where it was right. And the readjusted accordingly.

Killzone 2 - Guerrila boss admits "Some Areas to Improve"

Hermen Hulst is the managing director of Guerrilla Games. He appears to be a refreshingly honest and straightforward chap in an industry rapidly disappearing beneath a mountain of jargon, obfuscation and plain BS. He is also responsible for Killzone 2, the game that could either breathe new life into PlayStation 3 or serve as the first verse in its swansong.

While Internet forums have been befouled with rants about how good or bad the game is, Mr Hulst is more up front. He says, "We've delivered in most areas on the vision we set out. We have pushed the machine hard". However, he also states, "If you analyse down to the nitty gritty, there are some areas to improve."

That is not the kind of statement a company leader makes about a make-or-break product that he is not confident in. He's also upfront about why the game came about, telling the BBC, "Our mission for the title was to build a showcase for the PlayStation 3 hardware. I think we have pushed the machine, so I am hopeful that we can help Sony push hardware units."

Source: Spong

Runes of Magic - Daily quest has players battling against huge minotaurs

A new challenge arises in Runes of Magic. From today with 'Battle for Mystery’ a truly epic encounter awaits players in the high level area of the fantasy online role-play game.

This encounter follows the concept of the Daily Quests – tasks that are only accessible once a day - requiring a challenging battle with a world boss. The daily quest leads players out of the 'Harf trading post' to the 'Mystical Altar', a location up in the Ystra Highlands. This is where they have to overcome the sinister magician Samoge. In the course of the battle, two gigantic stone statues in the form of minotaurs are awakened and brought to life. However, the player ought not to wage the ‘Battle for Mystery’ on their own: nothing less than a combat troop of up to 36 players with a level of at least 45 are needed to bring Samoge to his knees. They will also be supported by envoys from the NPC faction ‘The Eye of Wisdom’ who have also placed a price on the magician’s head.

Considerable valuable rewards beckon to the raiding party in the event of a victory over the world boss Samoge and his enlivened helpers. Together with epic quality weapons and armaments, players will also bag rare scrolls to help them with rune interpretation which could also help them in increasing the value of their equipment.

Runes of Magic started the open beta with an English and a German version in the middle of December 2008. All interested players can now download the online-role playing game and enter into the fantasy world after creating an account for free on www.runesofmagic.com.

Runes of Magic – a world full of wizardry and adventure
With an extensive range of features Runes of Magic prepares to redefine the standard of free2play MMO games. Runes of Magic conveys an absorbing story through more than 1.000 quests embedded in an atmospheric fantasy setting. Players can choose between six main classes and combined with a secondary class they present 30 individual combinations of character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts like war horses and more. A particularly attractive feature for guilds and players is the possibility to arrange their own virtual homes with individual furnishing. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, thrilling PVP, as well as demanding dungeons and boss-monsters, no wishes remain unsatisfied. The Taiwanese developer Runewaker has developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards within a time frame of three years. The studio will provide new challenges for players every three to four months with free add-ons and updates. MMO fans can find more information, pictures and videos on the official website www.runesofmagic.com.

Features

- Free2play: no monthly fees, free download
- Extensive dual class system (six primary and secondary classes)
- Versatile spell- and attack-combinations
- Enthralling background story
- More than 1.000 quests and quest series on launch
- No zone boundaries thanks to seamless architecture
- Dungeons: Instanced and tile based as well as persistent
- Individually developable skills and spells
- Armour sets with special bonuses
- Dynamic item system with hundreds of runes for upgrading
- Optional PvP system with arena battles and guild wars
- Ranking system with player-ranking lists
- Multitude of unique mounts
- Epic crafting system with the chance to improve existing items
- Personalization of player houses through individual furnishing
- Reputation system
- Customisable user interface with the option to use Add-Ons
- Map and radar system to find dealers, resources and quests easily
- In-game auction houses for trading items
- Teleport-Runes for instant travel
- Mouse and keyboard controls for movement
- Regular updates with new content
- Cross-server fights in three-server-battle in development
- Guild houses in special zones in development

Free Driving Lesson (UK) with Nintendo DS game - Pass Your Driving Theory Test out this March

Avanquest Software Publishing, formerly known as GSP and one of the UK's leading consumer software and games publishers, will launch Pass Your Driving Theory Test for Nintendo DS in March 2009. Pass Your Driving Theory Test DS from Avanquest also comes with a free driving lesson worth £26 from LDC, the UK’s third biggest driving school. The release follows the success of All in One Driving Test on PC, with the publisher now transferring its expertise to the handheld market.

The sophisticated driving revision guide will be targeted at the 1.5 million learner drivers that take a theory test every year. A theory test costs £30 and almost 40% of those taking it will fail*, which can result in increased costs, wasted time and added annoyance to an already stressful situation. The free driving lesson included with every copy is expected to increase sales by offering consumers a practical benefit in addition to a sophisticated revision guide.

Pass Your Driving Theory Test DS includes all 1265 official Driving Standard Agency (DSA) questions for car and motorcycle, with detailed explanations for each answer. Unlike similar titles, tests can be customised, enabling students to focus on particular subject areas and create a targeted revision plan.

“Our free driving lesson worth £26 with each copy of Pass Your Driving Theory Test DS is a practical benefit and a value for money offering when you consider the software retails at £19.99,” states Simon Reynolds, European Games Director at Avanquest Software Publishing. “With 1.5 million learner drivers taking their theory test each year the potential market is huge and self replenishing every year. We expect this offer to attract learner drivers and enable retailers to fulfil a great need in the market.”

Pass Your Theory Driving Test DS enables revision on the move, at college or work due to its portable capabilities. Consumers turn the DS on its side to revise in the more convenient book format of the Nintendo DS, and the software has been designed to cater for both right and left handed people.

Fast facts:
Publisher: Avanquest Software Publishing
Developer: Uacari/LDC
Distributor: Interactive Ideas / Gem / Centresoft / Ideal Software
Release date: March 2009
Format: Nintendo DS
Genre: Simulation
SRP: £19.99

Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Plaza Skate 2 download available

Experience the Inspiration for Dyrdek's New MTV Show with Skate 2's Latest Downloadable Content

Electronic Arts announce that gamers will be able to extend their Skate 2 experience with the download of Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Plaza, starting today in the PLAYSTATION Store for $5.00 in North America and on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 400 points. The downloadable content features Rob Dyrdek’s new skate plaza, the centerpiece of his MTV show, Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, as well as the surrounding downtown Los Angeles area.

“I’ve been involved with the Skate franchise since the very beginning and each game has been able to perfectly capture the culture and feel of skateboarding,” said skateboarder entrepreneur, Rob Dyrdek. “I can’t wait to give players a taste of the Fantasy Plaza, my dream skateboarding space. The team at Black Box has recreated the plaza in Skate 2, complete with all the ledges, gaps and rails. On top of all that, there’s still a lot more surprises outside the park that both gamers and skaters will enjoy.”

Recently released for the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Skate 2 has already received high acclaim from top videogame media including a 4.5 out of 5 from PlayStation: The Official Magazine, a 91 from PSM3 and ‘Game of the Month’ distinctions from IGN and Game Informer.

Skate 2 brings gamers to New San Vanelona, a city rebuilt with more spots to skate and own. Equipped with double the bag of tricks and the ability get off the board to move objects around, players can now create their own epic skate spots which can then be shared and experienced by others around the world. The game also features a revamped Thrasher Hall of Meat mode that will have players spending countless hours pulling off bone-crushing wipeouts and bails.

Skate 2 is developed by Black Box, in Vancouver, British Columbia. The game is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB and 16+ by PEGI.

Atlantica Online Rolls Out Major Update

Content Upgrades Include New Character Classes, Dungeons, Hairstyles, and More

Strategic turn-based MMORPG, Atlantica Online, today released a major update for the award-winning title. The update adds several new features, including two new main character classes – Musician and Maniac. These new features and classes will enhance the player’s journey through time and history in their quest to find the lost land of Atlantis.

The majority of the new content will be accessible to all players immediately, while some of the new features will only be available to players who have reached level 100.

The major content updates include:

Two New Main Character Classes
Head out into the world with the new classes and get your hands on some unusual gear: a guitar or a power saw. The Musician wields a guitar, which can be selected by any player, new or ongoing. Specializing in long-range combat, the Musician attacks by playing music that strikes two enemies in a line. Its magic attack, the Ravaging Melody, depletes enemies’ attack power, defense, and health, and aids your mercenaries’ attacks. When they attack, they utilize moves that would make Angus Young envious.

The second new class is the Maniac, and he/she brandishes a power saw. Only players at level 100 can create a main character using the power saw, although that character will have to start anew at level 1. The Maniac’s attack hits all enemies in a row, and has a magic cast called Storm Blast.

New Mercenary
The Elementalist is a new, Class B magic mercenary that can be recruited in North America after you reach level 100. When upgraded, the Elementalist becomes the legendary Native American, Pocahontas.

New Dungeons
Now offering even more locations, Atlantica boasts a handful of new dungeons including Alcatraz Prison, which can only be accessed by nations. Additionally, the Valley of Oblivion, also in North America, can only be accessed by guilds, and is the route players must take to acquire the Elementalist. There are also new side quest dungeons based in China.

Celebrate Your Character’s Individuality
Not only will your character now have three new options for hairstyles (the long wave, the afro, and the rasta), your main character will now receive a present on his or her in-game birthday.

To read the complete list of the new updates for Atlantica Online, please visit www.playatlantica.com.

Atlantica Online is a strategic turn-based MMORPG that combines innovative combat with character/party development and city/country management. Players take on the quest to destroy the Oriharukon, a powerful energy sensor from the lost civilization of Atlantis that survived and is now endangering humanity. This journey will take players around the globe, to locations like the Great Wall of China and the pyramids of Egypt, and they will come face-to-face with monsters ripped from history and lore, such as the ruthless Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu and Dracula.

Win a Life-Size Blood Raven Space Marine Statue (UK) with Warhammer 40000 Dawn of War II

To celebrate the release of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, due for release this Friday (20th February 2009), Gamestation has planted five life-size Blood Raven Space Marine statues in stores, one of which will be given away to a lucky member of the official Dawn of War II Facebook Page!

If you want to stand a chance of winning one on of these towering 2 meter statues, all you have to do take a picture of yourself with one of the models and then upload it to the ‘Fan Photos’ section of the Dawn of War II Facebook Page, ensuring you tag yourself and the name of the store you found the statue in.

So, where can these impressive life-size replicas be found?! At one of the Gamestation stores listed below:

• Hull - 59-60 Prospect Centre, Hull, HU2 8PW
• Orpington - 79 - 81 The Walnuts, Orpington, BR6 0TW
• Edinburgh - 134A Princes Street, EDINBURGH, EH2 4AH
• Blackburn - 59-61 King William Street, Blackburn, BB1 7DJ
• Stratford Upon Avon - 13 Town Square Shopping Centre, Stratford upon Avon, CV37 6AU

Deadline for entry is Wednesday 25th February and then, on the 26th February staff from the Gamestation will choose a worthy winner. Entries will be judged on clever composition, creative content and artistic merit! The statue will then be delivered to a UK address of the winner’s choice. Terms and conditions apply, go to the Dawn of War II Facebook Page for full details.

X-Blades out on PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 tomorrow

SouthPeak Interactive anime inspired foray into the hack ‘n slash arena, X-Blades, is out tomorrow across PAL territories. Available for the PC, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, X-Blades delivers high speed action and adventure, combined with a stylised artistic flair.

To celebrate the launch of X-Blades in the UK, real-life model Jodie Dart donned a specially created outfit based on Ayumi’s armour in the game. The 22-year-old from Plymouth then recreated recognisable poses from artwork of Ayumi, including the stunning cover art.

“Just by looking at X-Blades players can see that this won’t be another run of the mill action game,” said Jonathan Hales, Managing Director SouthPeak Interactive. “The large and detailed worlds, combined with beautiful artwork and film-like cut scenes, are only the beginning of what X-Blades has to offer.”

In X-Blades, players take the role of the beautiful treasure hunter Ayumi as she battles through waves of enemies in her search for a powerful and ancient relic. Armed with her trusty pistol blades, Ayumi relies on her acrobatic skills and lightning-quick fighting style to cut a swath through the hordes of evil keeping her from her goal. If she becomes overwhelmed, Ayumi can add devastating and upgradeable magic attacks to her combos to defeat her enemies.

“One of the many features you’ll find in X-Blades is the idea of letting the player choose their own character direction,” said James Seaman, Managing Director at TopWare Interactive. “The type of combos learned, magic abilities upgraded and even the layout of the controller buttons are completely up to the player, giving them the opportunity to play Ayumi in any way they like. Add that level of personalisation to the already top-notch fighting engine and sexy art style, and you’ll find that X-Blades delivers for both anime and action fans alike.”

PlayStation 3 firmware 2.7 details leaked?

A thread on the Game Trailers' forum claims to have the details on what we can expect from the next PS3 firmware drop.

Nothing's been confirmed by Sony and we'll ask for a 'no comment' when people turn up for work. All this info comes from a source who is said to work "in an R&D department at Sony". Stranger things have happened...

Read full post on CVG site here...

Tiger Woods golfing game on iPhone reveled on Twitter

Twitter seems to be a popular place for developers to post cryptic remarks about new games and future updates these days, but is seem EA Mobile has chosen Facebook to show off the first screens of its Tiger Woods 09 game for the iPhone.

These are pegged as pre-release shots, suggesting improvements will likely be made before we actually see the finished product, but we've got to say it's already looking pretty splendid.

Tiger's recognisable, and the fully 3D fairways do justice to the iPhone's graphical abilities. There even appears to be a reasonable amount of customisation of your golfer, and the selection screen suggests you can choose between CPU or human players, so this is likely to be a multiplayer affair.

No solid details as yet, check this Tiger Woods 09 screenshot.

Source: Pocket Gamer

Call of Duty 4 halves map cost and doubles XP

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare fans are in for a treat next week, with all sorts of bonuses planned.

Robert Bowling - community manager, has promised that the Variety Map Pack will have its cost cut in half on February 24th, reducing it to 400 Microsoft Points.

Then a double XP weekend will follow, starting on Friday February 27th and ending Monday morning.

Finally, Hardcore Headquarters will be added to the playlist on Friday... twinned with the double XP, that's a lot of experience points to feast on.

Source: Xbox 360 magazine

SBK 09 Superbike World Championship video game

New edition of the official videogame of the World Superbike Championship: SBK 09 Superbike World Championship. Developed by Milestone, one of the best developers in motorbike racing games, it will be available for Microsoft Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP (PlayStation Portable) and PC at the end of May.

Based on the official licence owned by Infront Motor Sports, SBK 09 Superbike World Championship offers the ultimate experience of the championship. Tracks, teams, riders, it’s all there unaltered to make the player feel the adrenaline rush of real motorbike competition.

Every feature of the game has been dramatically improved from the previous year. New 3D environments, new teams, complete track overhaul, new gameplay structure, new game modes, revamped user interface. The pits have been redesigned to be as close to reality as a picture could be. The performance of the motorbikes is based on exact data from their real counterparts and the player can fine-tune every single setting a real race engineer can. Not to mention the podium, which is there, waiting for the winner.

Five gameplay modes designed for single player: Quick race, Training, Race Weekend, Championship and Challenges; and for those who love the adrenaline of multiplayer sessions SBK 09 Superbike World Championship offers 3 online gameplay modes, starting from Quick Race moving on to the Championship and Team Championship.
Last but not least, the competition can become even more thrilling with the downloadable Online Time Attack game mode.

For the first time ever in a motorbike racing game, SBK 09 Superbike World Championship will feature visible damage on fairings and rider leathers!

SBK®09 Superbike World Championship has a huge number of customisable realism settings making it perfect for beginners as much as for simulation enthusiasts. It’s not just a game. It’s a complete riding experience.

“SBK®09 Superbike World Championship is the result of a painstaking attention to detail during the game design phases. – commented Antonio Farina, Founder of Milestone – More than last year, our main focus has been to recreate a realistic environment as much as possible. We introduced some crucial elements that help feel the exhilaration of the race and we deeply analysed the 3D environment on the track. Every turn has been designed from real CAD data and we also had the chance to have a real SBK™ rider playtesting them all, helping us to reproduce them perfectly.”

“As a fan of motorbikes and races, I do not think this year there is a better championship than WSBK™. Despite this unusual and unpredictable moment for motorsports championships, Superbike is facing a new era with the introduction of BMW and Aprilia, nothing can be taken for granted and more and more people are becoming interested and passionate. With SBK®09 Superbike World Championship, we try to reach both new motorbike enthusiasts as well as hardcore riders offering them a real championship whenever they fancy jumping on a virtual bike, improving their performance and competing against turns and time.” Said Fabrizio Vagliasindi, Black Bean Games Head of Marketing.

Nintendo DSi UK release date 3rd April - 2 days before the US launch - price £149.99

Nintendo announce the release of their successful Nintendo DS handheld video games console, the DSi, in the UK and Europe on 3rd April 2009.

That's two days before the US launch on 5th April. The retail price has been set at £149.99. The DSi includes a number of enhancements - larger screens, two on-board cameras and a SD slot.

“We wanted to get it out in time for Easter “, Nintendo UK’s general manager David Yarnton said.

“With its new features, the DSi is a significant step-change, more significant than the step from original DS to DS Lite.”

Wheelman to be co-published by Midway and Ubisoft

Rumours around the web regarding Midway’s open-world, Vin Diesel-starring vehicle action game, Wheelman, and a possible acquisition of the title by fellow publisher, Ubisoft.

Well the rumours were almost true – Ubisoft and Midway are to enter into a publishing partnership, or ‘strategic relationship,’ to help the title see the light of day, as the two companies are to co-publish the title around the globe.

Ubisoft will take on sales, marketing and distribution duties for Wheelman in North America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland and the UK. Midway, meanwhile, will handle those duties in European territories not handled by Ubisoft, while retaining future franchise rights in the process.

Midway’s Newcastle studio and Tigon Studios will continue to work on the game under the agreement. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said of the arrangement:

“We are pleased to be partnering with Midway to bring Wheelman to stores worldwide. Midway is known for launching intense, fast-paced action games, and the cutting edge open-world driving technology in Wheelman should make for a game that gamers will love.”

Midway is unfortunately in a spot of bother at the moment, after their US divisionfiled for bankruptcy last week, although it has received permission to use whatever cash reserves it may have to continue operating by paying employees, retailers and suppliers.

NewU - Inside Out Fitness First video game on Nintendo Wii

NewU - Inside Out Nintendo Wii video game, due in Q3 2009, has been conceived in collaboration with Fitness First, the largest health and fitness operator in the world, and You Are What You Eat, a well known TV format and healthy eating book series.

NewU is a Nintendo Wii title that perfectly combines Fitness, Nutritional Advice and Daily Healthy tips to offer a holistic experience through personal well-being.

Fitness First has designed the Full-Body workout and has been strongly involved in the development of the game. Each exercise is demonstrated by one of Fitness First’s leading Personal Trainers. The Wii Balance BoardTM and WiimoteTM are used to provide feedback on user’s progress and performance.

Despite expectations, in order to create the six in-game personal trainers, Lightning Fish have used video footage of the real trainers and avoided 3D graphics. For the target market this feels a lot more approachable and authentic than using computer graphics. In this way, NewU offers a choice of six different personal trainers, each with their own personality and the choice of several workout locations.

The exercises and workouts are only half of the story, You Are What You EatTM has provided experienced nutrition experts to create a series of recipes that can be used to complement physical exercises, whether you want to put on muscle or lose some extra weight. The bespoke recipes can even fit any personal dietary needs such as vegetarians, vegans and gluten intolerant diets.

NewU allows people to select a lifestyle goal in order to create their custom exercise plans and their custom nutritional plans.

“NewU is not a game; it has been conceived as an interactive healthy lifestyle and workout video for the 21st century. Using your personal goals, NewU is a serious help to achieve them.

Nowadays, the opportunity to have some spare time is a real pleasure; a personal trainer and a nutritionist are real privileges. Why not create something that can benefit everyone?
Fitness First and You Are What You Eat are proud to be involved in NewU and support our cause for a healthy lifestyle based on perfect equilibrium. They provided professional assistance so we could design a product that can be used by anyone to improve the quality of their everyday life. Furthermore, we strongly believe that NewU does not necessarily represent an alternative to health clubs or fitness centres, but can reach a wide variety of people who do not feel confident, do not have the time or just live too far away. NewU will stimulate a new way of life.” explained Fabrizio Vagliasindi, Black Bean Games Head of Marketing.

Sacred 2 Fallen Angel PlayStation 3 video game - Latest screen shots

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel is a hack-and-slash action-RPG with a rich story that takes place in a gigantic seamless world. This world contains massive dungeons, treacherous opponents and hundreds of challenging quests. Intelligent enemies, which adapt in number and difficulty based on player progress, challenge gamers in heroic single- and multiplayer battles for up four players on next-generation consoles.