Killzone 1.24 Patch Details

AI - Bots now skipping disabled/destroyed MGs in warzone when requesting mounted guns.
AI - Do not claim waypoints for the previous character when it’s dead.
AI - Fixes bots getting stuck trying to arm/disarm S&D object when mission is already over.
Campaign - Fix for potential progression bug in Salamun Bridge.
Clan - User name, not users clan displayed in rankings
Clan - Winning 10 Clan Challenges causes the user to become stuck on the medal awards screen.
Controls - Lean & Peak - Zoom hold on and out of ammo it switches between regular/scope view rapidly.
Cosmetic - Blue screen tint which indicates scout cloak is occasionally enabled and will remain indefinitely.
Cosmetic - White squares on the grenade counter merge together when displayed in 1080p
Create Game - “Badge Combination” option does not work properly
Create Game - Online - “clan only” presets apply even after a player leaves a clan
DLC - DLC pack 1 - ’Steel & Titanium’ support DLC - New Loading screens advertising the first DLC pack.
Exploit - Helghan Industries - Player getting out of map fix.
Exploit - Radec Academy - User is able to gain access to the roof when revived in a specific location.
Exploit - Reviving player stuck in wall collision can result in him spawning outside level
Exploit - Salamun Market - One sided wall allows people to be seen and shot from outside where they cant see or fire out
Exploit - Tharsis Depot - Player can get out of the “normal” play area and can get into some sniper/camp spots
Feature - Invite player from friendslist Feature - Join Clan Member list added.
Feature - Join Game - 17-24 players filter.
Feature - MP - Moving while seeing scores after pressing SELECT
Feature - The radar/map now has a larger radius
Feature - Three additional ’Harcore’ Ranks added to the top limits.
Front-end - Add support to display more than 8 maps when creating a game /challenge/tournament
Front-end - Sorting ascending and decending ranks working better in ’Rankings’
Front-end - When in a squad, the Valor Trophy is visible in the Squad Tab, however the users rank is not being displayed on top of it.
Mods - Official tournament to be displayed first followed by custom created tournaments
Mods - Additional functionality made avalable to the in-game moderators.
Network - Server side fix for full games being displayed incorrectly.
Network - User is unable to use the ’Join Clan Member’ tab due to Network Error Code 20002.
Online - File-synching with the Japanese release of Killzone 2 on the 23rd of April.
Sound - Turret placing sound continues when killed.
Stability - Crash when synching gamestate after a full mapcycle
Stability - Hang on a screen with a blank message window just before a message appears.
Stability - Reducing the load on the server related to syncing the buddylist
Stats - If a clan wins 24 Clan Challenges and goes to the result screen, the medal acquisition screen, which normally displays when you win 25 games, will display.
Stats - Number of air-support grenades used by tacticians does not add to the stats of joined user correctly.
Stats - Number of spawn-grenades used by tacticians does not add to the stats of joined user correctly.
Stats - User sometimes does not receive 1000 valor award when winning 10 Clan Challenges.
Text - % character not displayed correctly on the creating game dialogue box after selecting to create game.
Text - If a client receives an invite from a clan which has a ’$’ character in the clan name, the recipient will get kicked
Text - Minor Italian localization fix.
Text - Minor Japanese localization fix.
Tournament - Game decides winner if one of the two teams doesn’t spawn in
Trophies - Fix for Wargod trophy unlocking pre-maturely

Source: PS3Blog

Battle Rage - The Robot Wars video game Q&A session

With the impending UK release of BATTLE RAGE: THE ROBOT WARS a third person shooter with elements of a beat’em'up game that allows a player to control giant robots. This being the first real ‘REAL 3D’ console game, by using stereoscopic glasses on the Nintendo Wii, the team behind the development taken time out of their schedule to provide an insight into the game’s 3D engine. Below, Rob Dorney Art Director and Karl White Technical Director talk about some of the main aspects of the game.



1. How is it real 3D?

KW: Most computer games are created using 3D models but the player still only sees a flat image of these on their 2DTV. Each image is flat just like a photo. You can try to imagine depth from shadows and the size of objects, but really each frame of the TV image is totally flat. In the ‘real world ‘ we see objects in real 3D, objects are solid and they appear near to us or far away. Our in-game stereoscopic render works the same way that our normal eyesight works in the real world by providing a different view to each eye, so our in-game objects appear as real 3D objects. It really does separate the game environments and characters according to their distance from the player, the effect of which is very immersive. The stereoscopic effect forces your eyes to refocus when you look around the environment, just like they would in reality.

RD: With any graphical advances like this, the effect is more pronounced in some environments than others. In BattleRage’s case, the designers took particular care to lay out the environments so there was plenty of very selectively placed items that help accentuate the 3D immersion.

2. How important will 3D gaming be?

RD: We feel there had to be a next step away from 2D control methods and 2D screen imagery- it’s been done for 20 years now. The next evolution in control has come from motion sensitive devices, the Wii remote being the primary commercial success in this field, and the next visual advance will certainly be into 3D interactive entertainment. We saw a trend forming with TV manufacturers and the movie industry starting to look into 3D and felt the video game market should also be at the forefront of this revolution. Titles like BattleRage will sow the seeds with many developers and we’re convinced there will be many other titles that try their hand at developing new 3D rendering technology, as we have.

3. How does it work?

KW: Having two eyes we see two slightly different images with each eye. The brain works out from the slight variation in each image the correct distance away for everything it sees. Our stereoscopic effect essentially works by drawing the game environment twice - once for each of your eyes. The rendered images differ because each eye will see the environment from a slightly different perspective, with objects in the immediate foreground being seen very differently in one eye than the other. It’s this difference which makes the stereoscopic 3D effect work. These two images are then overlaid; one in red, one in cyan and the combined images form a new stereoscopic image. The red and cyan lenses in your glasses block out the colours that make up one of those images allowing us to 'tell' each of your eyes what they should see.

We chose the colour separation technique so that the effect could be seen by anyone (including people who are colour blind!) and without any special hardware. Instead we spent time refining the effect so it would be as effective and immersive as possible. There have been films which use the same process but due to how the film is displayed, personal eyesight and slight colour differences in the lens to view the film, the images are often blurred or a ghosting effect happens, which spoils the 3D effect. With the video game we run a personal setup to correctly align the player, TV and lens to provide a perfect 3D experience.

4. Plans for more?

RD: Very much so; the press feedback we’ve had since announcing the technology has been exceptionally positive so it’s very clear to us that the market is ready for the 'next big thing'. We’ve invested considerable time, cost and manpower into both engine-side technology and peripheral technology, to make immersive 3D titles and BattleRage will be just the first to reap the rewards of this investment. Other titles include games for all ages, styles and genres. We have just applied for patents on new technology using the Wii motion sensing devices to detect your head movements so not only can you see in 3D you can actually move around in 3D. Tilting your head will look around objects or moving closer to the screen will view the objects close up and the player will move around a world by just looking in the direction they want to move. It is very close to virtual.... reality a sort of 3D-VR simulation device, but I’m afraid that at this stage I’m bound by NDA so can’t talk too much about those, sorry!

5. What is the future for 3D gaming?

RD: The future is exceptionally bright for 3D video games. We think you’ll see developers exploring all manner of new immersive experience technology in both the visual area and in tactility. There will no doubt be casualties where people push a boundary too far too early, but for the first time in a while, innovation seems to be at the forefront of developers imagination. In the immediate future things like inventive control devices, more use of voice recognition and 3D rendering technology will be pushing back the traditional boundaries of entertainment.

RD: The original late 80’s VR revolution was probably a little before its time, but it proved that people were fascinated by immersive experiences. Nowadays with much more accessible and powerful technology at our disposal, not to mention a bunch of very talented and creative programmers and designers, there really is a 3D revolution upon us. If for no other reason, BattleRage will be remembered as the game which really started it all!

BATTLE RAGE: THE ROBOT WARS is a third person shooter with elements of a beat’em'up game that allows a player to control giant robots. It will offer standard visual mode or visually stunning 3D graphics mode. Battles between the robots take place on carefully selected battlegrounds (so called “arenas”) and they are short, quick, brutal skirmishes. The player can fight alone (versus one, two or even three opponents) or in a team against a common foe. Every robot has its own weapons (for melee and distance combat), additional enhanced weapon types can be collected on the arena.

The player can customize their robot’s parameters in the single player and multiplayer modes to create their own unique fighting style. Also many new, powerful robotic upgrades will be waiting for the player to unlock in the story mode. The Tournament has begun.

Features:
Single player and Multiplayer modes.
Arcade mode with a separate Storyline for each of the robots characters.
Robot Customization.
Compelling mechanics (Rage, Rush, Power Triangle).
Special Attacks (push, stun and other unique abilities for each robot).
Robots allowed to fight with 3 weapons at the same time (two ranged and one melee).
8 unique starting robots.
20 weapons.
10 arenas.
Innivotive 3D graphics.

Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars multi-player option video game trailer

You will play as Huang Lee, who is on a typical mission to revenge his father's death and, in true Asian style, to restore the honor of his family by punishing those who dared to mock it.

But his trip won't be easy, as the criminals found in the Chinatown neighborhood are extremely dangerous and will make a lot of trouble for him. The gameplay fragments in between the classic GTA-style artwork show a lot of fun things like running around while explosions happen at every step, in a very arcade manner as even Rockstar Leeds have said.

Watch the video...

Wii Fit stay at the top of the UK video games chart

ChartTrack UK weekly game chart

Week ending 18 April 2009



1 WII FIT NINTENDO 1
2 THE GODFATHER II EA GAMES 2
3 FIFA 09 EA SPORTS 5
4 MARIO & SONIC AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES SEGA 3
5 RESIDENT EVIL 5 CAPCOM 4
6 PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE CURIOUS VILLAGE NINTENDO 7
7 MARIO KART WII NINTENDO 9
8 WII PLAY NINTENDO 8
9 CALL OF DUTY: WORLD AT WAR ACTIVISION 6
10 CARNIVAL: FUNFAIR GAMES 2KPLAY 16
11 GUITAR HERO: WORLD TOUR REDOCTANE 14
12 STREET FIGHTER IV CAPCOM 10
13 CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE ACTIVISION 11
14 DR KAWASHIMA'S BRAIN TRAINING NINTENDO 15
15 RAYMAN RAVING RABBIDS TV PARTY UBISOFT -
16 WHEELMAN MIDWAY 12
17 BEN 10: ALIEN FORCE D3P 13
18 LEGO INDIANA JONES: ORIGINAL ADVENTURES LUCASARTS -
19 GRAND THEFT AUTO IV ROCKSTAR -
20 MONSTERS VS ALIENS ACTIVISION

The New Asda Story PvP Testing Server is open GamesCampus celebrates with Tournaments Starting April 21

A new PvP test server for its popular MMORPG, Asda Story. In celebration of the PvP test server launch, GamesCampus is also hosting the first-ever Asda Story PvP tournaments starting April 21. Asda Story is available to download at http://asdastory.gamescampus.com/.

Along with the opening of the server, the first PvP Tournament will take place from April 21 to April 22. Players on the PvP server will get to use free skill resets, upgrade items, and potion items from the item mall as well as 10K Gold!

"Asda Story players have really been looking forward to the unveiling of the player versus player gameplay and we are very excited to finally let them test it out," said Jiwoo Park, Producer of Asda Story at GamesCampus.com. "The feedback we receive from this test will help us to implement PvP features that suit the needs of the Asda Story community. "

The tournament for players Level 39 and below (1 vs. 1 and 2 vs. 2) will take place on April 21, with the tournament for Level 40 and above players (1 vs. 1 and 2 vs. 2) taking place on April 22.

Following this test of the PvP server, a full PvP combat system will launch in May of this year.

Based on a colorful, bright and cheerful world, Asda Story is a free to play exciting fantasy-style anime 3D MMORPG game that features a unique 'Soul Mate System.' The unique party system offers two players the ability to align to become 'soul mates' and allows them to wear unique costumes and use special skills. Another key feature of the game is the 'Real Costume System,' which gives players some of the most extensive personalization and design options ever seen in an MMORPG.

Free arcade MMORPG Dragonica European Closed Beta Test starting in mid-May

The free arcade MMORPG Dragonica roars into life with the European Closed Beta Test starting in mid-May

Dragonica is the brand new arcade-style 3D side-scrolling MMORPG that is roaring into life across Europe during the Closed Beta Test (CBT) during mid-May 2009. It will be published in Europe as a free to play MMORPG in English, French and German at the www.gpotato.eu gaming portal.

With tens of thousands of players already pre-registered and growing by the day, there is growing anticipation for Dragonica’s combo-based combat that is ready to take netbooks, notebooks and desktops across Europe by storm. In play tests conducted in Ireland during March and April, players have applauded the precise combat which is a vast change from clicky mouse-based combat which dominates MMORPG’s. Dragonica has also lots of potential for competitive gaming with a strong competitive component in the multiplayer modes.

During the ten day Closed Beta test, the Dragonica team will be on hand to welcome players into the world and run a whole schedule of in-game events to keep players entertained. There will be lots of in-game prizes up for grabs, and the players will have the opportunity to ensure that their character names are kept for the Open Beta, following a few weeks after the Closed Beta in June.

Registration for the Closed Beta lottery, as well as information about partner sites running beta key competitions can be found at the official European Dragonica website at http://dragonica.gpotato.eu

About Dragonica

Dragonica, the upcoming free-to-play arcade-style 3D side-scrolling MMORPG is developed by Barunson Interactive and the European version will be available to download from the www.gpotato.eu gaming portal in English, German and French. With original keyboard-controlled gameplay, combo-based action that rewards skilful players, a vibrant 3D universe and plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour along the way, Dragonica has universal appeal. By attracting all types of people the game has lots of fun and interesting content to keep players busy including four evolving classes, several PvP modes, over a thousand quests, in-game achievements, an open market system to trade your excess items, pets, housing and wedding systems and much more to come!

Stalin v Martians delayed until end of April - download free songs here

The Epic arcade-RTS from Black Wing Foundation needs a few extra days

Mezmer Games today announced that the arcade RTS game Stalin vs. Martians has been postponed due to the long march across the Siberian tundra. Stalin vs. Martians will be released later this month, when it will be available on all digital distribution platforms.

In the meanwhile, you can prepare yourself for the heroic battle by viewing the epic Stalin vs. Martians trailer featuring a techno-dancing Stalin and download free songs from acclaimed Stalin v Martians soundtrack at http://www.stalinvsmartians.com/en/av.html
Stalin commands you to dance!

The Stalin vs. Martians pre-order is still open on major online retailers such as GamersGate and Direct2Drive at a 20% discount from the retail price of $19.99 / €17.99.

“A dictator is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to,” said Tom Söderlund, Executive Producer at Mezmer Games.

Batman Arkham Asylum video game - Harley Quinn Vignette HD game trailer

Deadly adversary or just another of The Joker's victims?

An Arkham Asylum psychiatrist assigned to treat The Joker, Dr. Harleen Quinzel instead became obsessively fixated on her patient, believing herself to be in love with him. She helped him escape confinement and took on her own criminal identity as Harley Quinn.



Quinn is a violent and unpredictable felon whose only motivation, beyond general mayhem, is achieving The Joker’s approval. Because of his cruel and mercurial nature, this in some ways makes her just another of his victims—albeit a very dangerous one.

Gamezplay.org reader spots Andy Murray playing tennis for England...

Checkout my trailer for new Virtual Tennis video game from Sega and see what an eagle eyed gamezplay reader has spotted. Andy Murray's name with the George Cross (England flag) beside his name.

Watch the video, after the link below, and pay attention at 1:35 seconds to see the frame for yourself.

Seaga have assured us it will be fixed for the final game release but it's there to be seen in this trailer.

Latest downloads for Nintendo DSiWare and WiiWare

The first Nintendo DSiWare game starring superstar Mario enters the fold this week with the launch of Dr. Mario Express. The Master of Illusion Express series adds another installment that promotes portable prestidigitation. WiiWare users will find precious crystals to defend in CRYSTAL DEFENDERS R1, while Virtual Console players face a classic race against the clock in Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair. Read on to learn all about the latest downloadable games from Nintendo, then log on to choose your favorites.

Nintendo DSiWare

Dr. Mario Express (Nintendo, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Nintendo DSi Points): Mario once again dons his stethoscope to battle the forces of illness in this downloadable version of the classic puzzle game. Use vitamins to eliminate viruses in Classic mode, or play against a computer opponent in Vs. CPU mode. Make an appointment with Dr. Mario today.

Master of Illusion Express: Deep Psyche (Nintendo, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 200 Nintendo DSi Points): Master of Illusion Express titles offer mind-bending magic tricks pulled from the popular Nintendo DS game. Learn the illusions, practice up and amaze your friends. Master of Illusion Express: Deep Psyche asks a series of pointed questions and reveals a startling truth.

WiiWare

CRYSTAL DEFENDERS R1 (SQUARE ENIX, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): In CRYSTAL DEFENDERS R1, you must deploy various units such as Soldiers and Black Mages to stop wave after wave of encroaching monsters from escaping the area with your party's crystals. There are many different types of units to choose from, some specializing in powerful short-range attacks, some wielding far-reaching magicks, and still others equipped with bows that enable them to bring down aerial foes. Deploy units in strategic locations to take full advantage of their traits. Each time an enemy breaches your defenses and reaches a map's exit, your party will lose crystals. When all your crystals are gone, the game is over. CRYSTAL DEFENDERS R1 comes complete with a plethora of exciting stages, each varying in layout and difficulty. Can you defend them all without losing a single crystal?

Virtual Console

Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Cartoon Violence, 900 Wii Points): The once-quiet town of Xenobia is under attack from fierce and gruesome monsters. As Leo, it's up to you to save Xenobia from danger as you navigate through a series of worlds in a race against time. Use your sword and jumping abilities to battle foes. Watch for power-ups that will increase your health and add to the amount of time you have to complete your missions. Go it alone or play co-op with a friend who can take the role of Priscilla. Do you have what it takes to save the world?

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.

Shimano Xtreme Fishing Nintendo Wii video game

Shimano Xtreme Fishing challenges players to choose a weapon for a whole new take on fishing.

Embracing the wilder side of sport fishing, Shimano Xtreme Fishing is the only videogame to let players take the fight to the fish with bow and speargun in addition to the traditional rod and reel. Featuring cutting-edge fishing gear like Shimano Voltaeus fishing rods, Hoyt bows, AMS Bowfishing reels and accessories, and Muzzy arrow points, players hunt for a legendary catch from the deck of a free-roaming boat or underwater in full SCUBA gear.

But don't think that the hunt will be easy, because the more extreme the gear, the more extreme the fish... More than 40 varieties inhabit the massive environments, with huge predators like sharks and alligators guarding the hottest fishing spots. Shimano Xtreme Fishing takes players through exotic environments ranging from the cold, dark waters of a North American reservoir to a roaring Amazon waterfall, eerie submerged Mayan ruins, the hidden lagoons of a southern island, and the shark-infested shipwrecks of a tropical sea.

Once the weapons - bowfishing gear, fishing rod, or spear gun and SCUBA - have been chosen, players can compete to unlock new tackle, clothing, and sporting accessories in a series of challenging tournaments, each with beautiful scenery and unique time and weather conditions. Players looking for a more open-ended fishing trip can roam the vast environments in search of new hot spots while mastering their weapons of choice in Free Fish mode.

"We weren't interested in creating just another fishing game," said Bill Swartz, Head Woof of Mastiff. "We wanted to give players something new - the very best equipment, an incredible selection of fish and locations, and most importantly, the rush that comes from extreme fishing, whether with rod, bow or spear."

Shimano Xtreme Fishing will be available for Wii in summer 2009.

Cross Fire Free multiplayer first-person shooter announce agreement

G4BOX Inc. and Wicked Interactive Ltd. announced an exclusive agreement with IGA Worldwide to support in-game advertising within their hit game, Cross Fire, a free multiplayer first-person shooter available at: http://crossfire.subagames.com.

“The Cross Fire beta launch has proven to be a tremendous success. The scale of the community building around the game has been astonishing and is still growing rapidly,” said Howard He, CEO of G4BOX Inc. “We are delighted to partner with G4BOX on Cross Fire. Its success has allowed us to partner with in-game advertising pioneer, IGA Worldwide, to pursue opportunities in this exciting and ground-breaking advertising environment,” added Garvin Yeung, CEO of Wicked Interactive Ltd.

Cross Fire is a free-to-play, multiplayer first-person shooter available on the PC platform. It allows up to 16-players to battle online simultaneously, completing objective-based missions and scenarios across a range of realistic locations and arenas. Cross Fire also offers an array of features, such as: four modes of gameplay including the exclusive “Ghost Match” mode, a persistent stat-tracking and ranking system, in-game friend lists, an integrated clan system, customizable characters, realistic military weaponry and much more.
Through its integration of IGA Worldwide’s proprietary Radial 4.0 advertising SDK, Cross Fire now offers brands and agencies the opportunity to dynamically display, update and geo-target their advertisements to a highly engaged, tech-savvy audience within the elusive 18-34 male demographic.

Ed Bartlett, Vice President Europe for IGA Worldwide, said “Having pioneered ad-supported free-to-play premium games over the last three years, we are very excited to extend this model to Cross Fire, which has all of the necessary features for another huge success story in this category. IGA prides itself on a qualitative approach to ad inventory, and alongside contextual in-game billboards, users can also expect a sponsored tournament and leaderboards as well as subsidised branded content including new levels and arenas.”

IGA’s network has generated in excess of 25 billion full impressions, delivering over 60 million hours of content to nearly 40 million users in total, with an average view duration of 9 seconds of exposure per ad.

Manage Your Football Club (MYFC) video game on iPhone and iPod touch

Developer Sports Director is working on its first football management simulation for iPhone.

It's called Manage Your Football Club (MYFC for short), has been developed by handheld firm Sports Director.

The single-player game lets you take charge of any club in the top four UK divisions - Premier League down to League 2 - with accurate player and team names.

It's certainly comprehensive, cramming in tactics, training, transfers, finances and more statistics than you can shake a sheepskin coat at. You even get to build a youth team - an often-neglected element in management sims.

The thing that impressed us most from our hands-on with MYFC was the interface: Sports Director has clearly done a lot of work on the game's UI, from the slide-based training controls to the way you swipe between formations as if browsing photos on your iPhone.

There looks to be plenty of depth too - it's from the Football Manager school of management sims, with huge scope for tactical tweaking and squad-building, right down to individual player training to mould them just so.

The matches offer text-based commentary on what's happening, while a ball icon whizzes around a 2D pitch to show you roughly where the action is.

MYFC isn't quite the first football manager game for iPhone - that accolade goes to the just-released Soccer Manager.

We're keen to see how the two compare: in the absence (so far) of big guns like Football Manager and Championship Manager, there's a statto-shaped hole to be filled on iPhone.

Burnout video game World Record set at ESC gaming centre in Glasgow

Glasgow experienced a weekend of record-breaking as members from gaming community Ready Up set a brand new world record for the longest marathon playing a racing game. The tenacious team of six, led by Kirsten Kearney, kicked off the record attempt at 10:00 am on Saturday 18th April, at the ESC Gaming Centre - and spent the succeeding 24 hours propped down on bean bags playing Burnout Paradise with only a few short breaks. At 10:00 am on Sunday 19th April, the successful record attempt culminated in an official certificate presentation by Guinness World Records adjudicators who were present to witness the achievement.

A proud, and exhausted, Kearney said: "I am so thankful to our team and supporters from Ready Up for seeing this challenge through. Half way through the attempt I started to doubt whether I would be able to stay awake, but as the night continued I actually became more alert, and by the time we finished I was just so excited that we'd made it into next year's Gamer's Edition with a new world record that I didn't even feel tired anymore."

The record breaking feat served as a fundraiser for gaming charity GamesAid and nearly a hundred online gamers stepped in at different points to join the six record breakers during their 24 hours of continuous play.

Video games record manager Gaz Deaves said: “I’d like to congratulate Kirsten and her team on behalf of Guinness World Records for an impressive demonstration of endurance and skill. This was a brand new record category for us and hopefully Ready Up’s attempt will inspire other gamers to break their own records and get into the book.”

Now in its second year of publishing, Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition is a comprehensive compilation of highest scores and record breaking achievements across all games and consoles. Among more than 200 pages of records, the book also features facts from the history of gaming, banned and controversial games and the top 50 console games of all time.

Read the post on the ESC website here...

Neverwinter Nights 2 - Mysteries of Westgate PC video game as download only on 29 April

First Neverwinter Nights 2 Adventure Pack Available Exclusively via Digital Download

Atari today announced that the first Neverwinter Nights 2 Adventure Pack entitled Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate will be available exclusively via digital download for the Windows platform on 29 April 2009.

A suggested retail price of €9.99 / £9.99 /$9.99. Neverwinter Nights 2 - Mysteries of Westgate will be available for digital download at the Atari store by visiting www.atari-store.eu in Europe or www.atari.com/us in the US.

Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate provides over 15 hours of additional entertainment with all-new engrossing storylines, professional voice acting, enchanting musical scores, new in-game content, and much more. Neverwinter Nights 2 is set in the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® Forgotten Realms universe created by Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS). DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is under license from Hasbro.

DEFCON! video game looking for a publisher for their Nintendo DS video game

Introversion has begun the search for the perfect publishing partner for the DS version of its classic, Wargames-inspired strategy title, DEFCON!

The UK’s favourite indie developer today announced it has regained all rights to the finished DS SKU of its critically-acclaimed DEFCON franchise.

As yet unpublished, the DS version was originally developed in conjunction with troubled distributor, Pinnacle.

Introversion anticipates considerable interest in the title, given the astonishing success of the DS hardware range worldwide.

“With the DSi flying off the shelves recently, we believe that there will be particular interest in a finished DS product with such a great track record, especially as the RTS/Strategy sector is so poorly served on the platform,“ said Mark Morris, Director at Introversion.

DEFCON is considered to be a classic Action/Strategy title in PC gaming circles, with a Metacritic score of 84 and average User Review on the site of 8.7.

Introversion has appointed veteran agents, Bad Management, to assist it in its discussions with, and evaluation of, potential publishing partners.

Said John Cook, Senior Partner at Bad Management, “In the current risk-averse environment, companies are placing a premium on finished products with a well-established brand and track record. DEFCON DS is a fantastic publishing opportunity, and we’re confident we will be able to find the right fit for Introversion.”

Specifically adapted for DS with full stylus control, a unique game-mechanic and all the chilling effects of the original Armageddon sim, DEFCON DS is expected to appear on the shelves worldwide in Q3 2009.

Raskulls Unleashed No2 - Dragon is a genius of the highest order

This week on Raskulls Unleashed, we sat down with three more from the wacky crew to obtain some very in-depth analyses into the minds of such intelligent characters and build some truly memorable character profiles, akin to the genius of King’s “Kinging”, Pirate’s expertise in Parrot Taming, and Duck’s gender being called into question, even though he/she doesn’t really know the answer.

After settling in with a bottle of Moet and Beethoven’s Serenade for String Trio in D major, we expected Dragon to begin reciting his artistic influences and comment on the state of the Carthaginian economy in 647BC. Here is the net result of that intelligent foray into the life and times of Dragon.

That’s it? Dragon’s contribution to the in-depth profiling of the Raskulls cast? Well, I guess it says that he likes people in power, and King would be the first to tell you how much power he has. It’s really not as much as he thinks.

Next up on the chopping block is Ridinghood, who was quick to clarify a certain technical issues some people were having with her outfit – and her entire reason for existence.

All of Ridinghood’s fans can now bask in her generous and friendly nature. Ignore the physical impossibility of how her signature kiss looks the way it does, and you’ll become a big fan just like everyone else!

Finally, here’s a shout-out to one of the lesser-known, yet equally important members of the Raskulls team. Blue Block is always around to show his face in even the most hazardous of levels, so he gets points for effort.

When you’re a Blue Block, it’s tough living in a world filled with Raskulls whose chief desire is to smash blocks. He has a family to support, and this is how he gets treated? Shame on you, Raskulls.

Read No1 post here on gamezplay.org...

Galaxy Online - International Battleground Opens Pc strategy game

Galaxy Online is a game that tests your wits and strategic skills as much as it entertains. With this mind, the Galaxy Online team will soon be opening a special International Battleground, where they will hold an unprecedented PVP battle. This battle will pit Chinese version players against their English version counterparts.

English version players who participate in the event will be automatically added into a specified faction to confront the challenge from Chinese opponents.

The officials will offer all entrants the same initial resources and Science Points. Also the shipbuilding time will be shortened for the event, so players can create an army in the shortest time possible and get on to the fighting. The winning faction will gain hoards of rewards!

This is a summit challenge, and only the strongest and most powerful players are eligible to enter. The Hero Call-ups along with the detailed information regarding the entrance requirements is issued on the forum.

Warriors, the horn has sounded, will you answer the call? Watch your fleets take off into the abyss of space…will they return victories?

Winemaker Extraordinaire PC video game - learn about wine while you play

Overplay announced today the release of Winemaker Extraordinaire, the first PC game for casual players developed by the studio and published by Merscom and uclick. The game will be available at the Big Fish Games portal and it’s a great opportunity for wine lovers to have fun in an immersive environment.

Winemaker Extraordinaire tells the story of Maria Bellaventura, a corporate lawyer who desires to escape the rat race of big cities. After she inherits her grandfather’s Winery in Tuscany, she finds herself in charge of running her own winemaking business and revealing the secrets of the Guild of Extraordinaire Winemakers to gather the pieces of Vino Ultimae.

The player will visit 15 different scenarios around the world, meeting peculiar characters and learning facts and tips about different wine blends and grapes, while listening to a beautiful musical score.

Winemaker Extraordinaire will be released on Big Fish Games, on Saturday, April 18th and can be downloaded here.

Fallen Earth Announces Winning Location in National Tour Contest

Today, the developers of the self-titled post-apocalyptic MMO Fallen Earth have announced Portland, Ore. as the winning town of the text-based contest and the next stop of the company’s national grassroots tour.

The May 2 event, starting at 7 p.m. at North 45 Pub in downtown Portland, will give players a chance to meet the development team, demo Fallen Earth, participate in a Q&A with developers and collect an exclusive in-game mount. With previous stops in Raleigh, N.C., Baltimore, Md. and San Francisco, Calif., the tour also provides the development team with direct feedback from fans.

“We saw a great response from fans as they rallied votes for their area,” said Jessica Orr, product manager for Fallen Earth. “We want our fans to have a voice in the process and we’re looking forward to having some quality time with them in Portland.”

Fallen Earth will also be giving away two special prizes at the event; one prize for the fan who travels the greatest distance to attend, and one prize for the fan that brings the most friends to the event.

To register for the Portland event, please click here:

Fallen Earth is a massively multiplayer online game that strategically combines first-person shooter and traditional role-playing game designs. Set in the Grand Canyon after a lethal disease destroyed most of mankind, Fallen Earth features 70 towns, six competing factions, a classless advancement system and a crafting system in which players can make 95 percent of game items.

For more information about the contest or to participate in closed beta testing, visit www.fallenearth.com.

Legacy - World Adventure Download

Victories are lost in time Legacies last forever!

From the creative minds that brought you Home Sweet Home and Masters of Mystery comes a brand new adventure! Big Blue Bubble proudly announces the release of Legacy: World Adventure!

Travel the world as Emily King, an intelligent young woman with a yearning for adventure and a craving for knowledge. Help her reclaim her family legacy in an electrifying race around the globe, to win the illustrious Grand Adventurers Expedition! Legacy: World Adventure will challenge your Match 3 abilities and heighten your World Fact knowledge with exciting clues and stunning imagery!

So climb aboard our airships for the race of a lifetime, clever mini-game action, and hundreds of world facts that will push your skills to the limits!

Featuring...
• International Adventure Storyline!
• 30 Real World Locations!
• Hundreds of World Facts!
• 3 Different Types of Match 3 Gameplay!
• 5 Challenging Mini-Games!

Legacy: World Adventure supports 98/ME/2000/2003/XP/Vista. Download it from www.bbbarcade.com TODAY!

With over 30 high profile games in its portfolio, Big Blue Bubble Inc. is one of Canada’s leading video game developers. Each of company’s three divisions (Mobile, Console and Casual) is dedicated to making the best possible games by combining innovative designers with top calibre artists and industry leading programmers. By maintaining a strong focus on the development of technology and showcasing it through award winning games, Big Blue Bubble will continue to lead the way in becoming a cornerstone of the casual gaming world.

Luminary: Rise of the GoonZu Springs Forward with New Updates

Luminary update for its increasingly popular MMORPG, Luminary: Rise of the GoonZu. Adding to the real-world politics and economics game play, the new updates will bring additional land, weapons, items, and formulas for food or medicine to the Luminary world.

The Lost World, a new hunting ground, will feature prehistoric, dinosaur-like monsters that will be fiercely awaiting combatants. Players will be challenged to fight their way up to the third and highest level in order to enjoy the rewards of exploring the new hunting grounds in the Lost World. Defeating the main boss will earn Luminary players coveted “good drops.”

Along with the new lands, six new weapons such as the Guardian’s Sword, Ancient Spear, and Sonic Bow will be unveiled for level 110 players. These weapons offer increased attack power to aid players in their quests. In addition, for a limited time, players will be able to acquire a beautiful (and helpful) sea princess pet as a new Raccoon Box item through the use of Gold, Silver and Bronze Keys.

Rounding out the updates, players are now eligible to receive more experience points when crafting food items or medicine, giving them the opportunity to boost their skill levels. With the capability to boost skill levels, players of Luminary: Rise of the GoonZu have more opportunity than ever before to become a top artisan in these two classes.

Luminary: Rise of the GoonZu, a free-to-play MMORPG, incorporates real-world politics and economics with captivating gameplay. Players are citizens of the Luminary world who not only battle monsters, but engage in the production of new goods, trade commodities, stocks, real estate, and even hire NPC’s. Additionally, a player can become the pinnacle of success, the “GoonZu,” by being elected by his gaming peers.

Assassin's Creed 2 video game out in 2009

 Ubisoft is developing Assassin’s Creed II on all current-generation platforms for a scheduled Holiday 2009 release.

The initial installment of Assassin’s Creed was released in November 2007 to popular and critical success, selling 8 million copies worldwide and garnering awards such as Best Action Game 2007 from 1UP and Outstanding Achievement in Animation from the AIAS.

Assassin’s Creed II is the product of over two years of intensive development by the original creative team behind the Assassin’s Creed brand. In a vast open world environment, the game invites players to incarnate Ezio, a privileged young noble in Renaissance Italy who’s been betrayed by the rival ruling families of Italy. Ezio’s subsequent quest for vengeance plunges players into a captivating and epic story that offers more variety in missions, surprising and engaging new gameplay elements, diverse weapons and a profound character progression that will appeal to fans of the original Assassin’s Creed as well as entice players new to the brand.

“Our creative team is working hard to top the experience of Assassin’s Creed,” said Patrice Desilets, creative director at Ubisoft. “We’ve made improvements to every aspect of the game. We’ve plunged ourselves into the stunning history of the Italian Renaissance so that we can offer fans a unique, varied and innovative Assassin’s Creed experience.”

Additional details on Assassin’s Creed II are revealed in the May issue of Game Informer.

Batman video game collectors edition with a 14-inch Batarang

When Batman: Arkham Asylum reaches shops this summer, the DARK KNIGHT will be taking a fully loaded arsenal along with him for the ride. At his disposal is a complete suite of gadgets and accessories that includes everything from a sonar resonator and a Batclaw to an explosive gel aerosol. Batman will need to make use of it all to take down the insane criminals that prowl Arkham Island.taken over the asylum.


The collector’s edition of Batman: Arkham Asylum, published by Eidos, features a full array of iconic collector’s items, including:

• 14" Batarang with stand
- Matches the Batarang’s in-game design
• Arkham Doctor’s Journal
- 48 pages of notes on Arkham’s inmates
• 2 Sleeve Digi-pack, including:
- Game disc
- Behind-the-scenes DVD
• Code for downloadable Challenge Map
- Exclusive “Crime Alley” map, available immediately
• Full-color Manual

For Batman fans who want to keep up with all the latest news and development on the game, the official Facebook.com and MySpace.com pages are now live - offering fans a central hub to network and learn about one of the hottest upcoming games of Summer 2009. True Batman fans can now keep up with all the latest developments, and prepare to get their hands on the Bat’s famous gadgets this summer.

The accompanying images show off the stunningly packaged collector’s edition, including all items listed above. Please feel free to post news of the upcoming collector’s edition as well as the new Facebook and MySpace pages.

Based on the core Batman license, in Batman: Arkham Asylum, the Dark Knight takes on his greatest challenge yet when he becomes trapped with all of his most dangerous villains inside the insane asylum of GOTHAM CITY - ARKHAM ASYLUM! Batman: Arkham Asylum exposes players to a unique, dark and atmospheric adventure that takes them to the depths of Arkham Asylum – Gotham City's psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. Gamers will move in the shadows, instigate fear amongst their enemies and confront The Joker and Gotham City's most notorious villains who have.