Hornet Leader PC Gets a Major Update!

Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) and Dan Verssen Games (www.dvg.com) are pleased to announce that a major new update for Hornet Leader PC is now available. This second update for the popular turn-based tactical air combat simulator includes a display performance overhaul, multiple new player requested features and fixes all known issues.

Among the improvements is a switch to a DirectX-based display system to reduce interface lag, new on-map altitude change arrows, an Abort Mission button that is always available, random pilot selection and smarter bandit AI.

David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said “The Hornet Leader community has continued to give us great feedback and we’ve taken it to heart. Thanks to two months of additional development from Storm Cloud Creations and Dan Verssen Games, Hornet Leader PC is better than ever and coming your way.”

Dan Verssen of Dan Verssen Games added, “We hope our community members will appreciate this free update, which polishes Hornet Leader PC further and addresses many of the top player requests since the original release. We also hope players who may be interested in Hornet Leader PC but are still on the fence will take a look at these improvements and give it a try.”

In Hornet Leader PC, you command a squadron of the U.S. Navy’s elite F/A-18 Hornet Strike Fighters! You select the pilots and arm the aircraft based on real-world mission briefings. Once you reach your objective, you evaluate threats, and do what needs to be done to destroy the target!

Each pilot has his own set of unique skills and abilities. With each mission, a pilot’s skills increase, but so does his fatigue level. You must decide how hard to push your men as one of the many decisions that go into every mission. You will fly high intensity missions over Iraq, Libya, and North Korea from 1991 to 2007. Your weapon selection for each campaign is updated to accurately match the weapons available for that era.

We’ll see you in the pilots’ briefing room!

Get more information on Hornet Leader PC from its official Matrix Games webpage. This update will bring the version of the game up to 1.2 and is comprehensive.

Codemasters Online to Unveil New MMO at Forthcoming Connect Event

Codemasters Online announced today that the company’s new blockbuster MMO game, scheduled for release in late 2008, will be unveiled at the forthcoming Connect 2008 online gaming event. The new MMO will be fully playable for the first time at Connect 2008 in a world exclusive for the event!

Ed Relf, Director of Marketing, Codemasters Online commented “This is just one of many exclusives we are lining up for lucky visitors to Codemasters Online Connect this year! The support for Connect 2008 is growing rapidly since its announcement this week and we look forward to unveiling both this and further exclusives during this 2-day gaming festival.

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

For more information or so sign up for advance ticket alerts visit www.codemastersconnect.com

Assassin's Creed Altaïr's Chronicles Exclusively For Nintendo DS

Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, unveiled Assassin’s Creed Altaïr's Chronicles™, exclusively for the Nintendo DS™. The Assassin’s Creed Altaïr’s Chronicles video game will be available at retailers nationwide in February.

Assassin’s Creed Altaïr’s Chronicles is the direct prequel of the critically acclaimed console title Assassin’s Creed™, where players discover more about the protagonist Altaïr and his deep history. The game features a fully realized 3D world in which players will travel and battle through four cities of the Crusade’s Middle East, using acrobatic moves and exhilarating combo attacks that mix sword skills and high-flying kicks.

“The success of Assassin’s Creed worldwide has been incredible and we’re excited to delve deeper into the story and bring it to the Nintendo DS,” said John Parkes, EMEA Marketing Director at Ubisoft. “Assassin’s Creed Altaïr’s Chronicles will be a title that resonates with those who played the console version as well as those who have yet to discover the secrets of Assassin’s Creed.”

Assassin’s Creed Altaïr’s Chronicles is rated “12+” by PEGI and has a retail price of £29.99. For more information, please visit www.assassinscreed.com.

Grand Chase is coming to US!

Ntreev USA, the North American publisher for the English version of Trickster Online Revolution, is pleased to announce their latest release in North America, Grand Chase. Grand Chase is an original Massive Multiplayer Online Action RPG developed by KOG. Along with the official Grand Chase website, closed beta testing will begin around mid-to-late January.

Grand Chase follows the lives of different heroes from the Bermesiah continent in their fight against the evil Queen of Darkness. Characters will be able to fight dynamically alongside each other in several different game modes to defeat the evil queen of darkness.

Grand Chase Features:

1. Real Time Online Action RPG
Grand Chase is a multiplayer Action RPG with a refined, in-depth fighting system

2. Characters/Jobs
Ranging from archer to spearman, choose from 5 different unique characters and 14 different jobs, each with their own set of skills and unique fighting style

3. Arcade-Style Controls
Simple, keyboard based controls that characters can easily use to combine skills and perform unique combo/juggle attacks

4. Eye-Blasting Special Skills
Special 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade abilities with breathtaking graphical effects

5. Character Customization
Customize characters through a wide selection of powerful weapons, armors, and accessories,

6. Modes
Experience the innovative and exciting multiplayer modes that immerses the player in non-stop action such as: Quest mode, Player versus Player, Monster Battle, Monster Expedition mode and a lot more!

Grand Chase is unique in that it will, for the first time ever, allow players to have a refined and competitive real-time multiplayer brawl. An in-depth combo system allows players to link up combos, skills, and items for devastating effects. Players will also be able to advance their characters through traditional RPG elements including leveling, jobs, and equipment.

Blockdot Releases "White House Joust 2008"

Republicans and Democrats can agree on one thing this election year: Dallas-based Blockdot’s newest game, White House Joust 2008, is a bipartisan blast!

The game, created for the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Chamber of Commerce, is being released to coincide with the city’s hosting of the Republican and Democratic presidential debates in January.

Your goal in White House Joust 2008: Maneuver your candidate’s blimp above the sun-soaked South Carolina sand, then ram the blimps of the other presidential contenders!

Start the game by selecting your political party. Next, choose your favorite presidential candidate. Now you’re ready to enter this fantastically fun fight! Tap the spacebar repeatedly to take off and gain altitude. Good job — you’re flying! Wait, who’s that at eleven o’clock high? It’s another presidential candidate! Quick, use the arrow keys to steer your blimp towards your opponent. The target is in your sights…keep tapping that spacebar to gain the altitude advantage…perfect, now ram your opponent’s blimp! Points are awarded for each candidate you knock out of the sky.

Want to boost your score? Pick up the campaign playbook that falls out of your opponent’s busted blimp — it’s worth bonus points!

But remember the golden rule of jousting: you must be at a higher altitude than your opponent before you attack. Let another candidate fly above your blimp and you’ll become the target. If you’re hit three times by your opponents, you’ll be tossed off the campaign trail, game over!

You can throw your hat into the presidential jousting ring by visiting Blockdot’s gaming portal www.kewlbox.com. To learn more about America’s Beach Playground, go to www.visitmyrtlebeach.com.

[XBLA] Load Inc. attending GDC, come say hello!

Load Inc., the biggest small Paris based development studio, is attending Game Connection @ GDC – for the fourth time!
Why should you care?

“Well you shouldn’t” says DenisDenis, head of tap dancing class at Load Inc. “forget about it if you’re not into high profit, next gen, cool budget and direct download titles”.

This year again, they’ll be presenting a new concept for downloadable platforms, including the now obvious Xbox 360 Live Arcade.

On top of things, Load Inc. will help you port your own license on XBLA and make you rich errr, famous.

You’re not on XBLA yet? Read the news!

It’s hot, happening, easy, growing fast, hip, hard core and family oriented. You can buy awesome games from your couch! It is the reconciliation of your wife / girlfriend / dog / mother in law with gaming!! You don’t want to miss the train, right?
Load Inc. will take you with them. Meet them. See what they have to say and decide for yourself. They have info backing up their stories.

Pleased To Meet You!

As RealtimeUK continues to expand its list of high profile clients, we are also focusing on expanding our team with accomplished and dynamic new people.

So we have great pleasure in introducing three new faces to the RealtimeUK team – Andrew Lord, Richard Clay and Karinga Wells.

Firstly we would like to welcome Andrew Lord, who has come on board as Business Development Manager. Andrew was previously working as a Business Development Manager at Red Vision, where he was working with high profile clients including Ladbrook’s and Sky. Andrew has extensive business development experience and is a qualified Prince2 practitioner in project management.

The second new face joining the team is Richard Clay, who joins RealtimeUK as a Character Animator. Before joining us Richard worked as an animator at Axis Animation. Richard has a wealth of experience that he brings to the company, having worked on a variety of projects including next generation FMV’s and commercials and children’s TV series for the BBC.

The newest member of the RealtimeUK team is Karinga Wells. Karinga joins us as a Character animator and has relocated from Canada. Previous to joining RealtimeUK Karinga worked as an animator for a number of studios in both Toronto and Vancouver and has produced animations for feature films including ‘Happily Never After’ and commercials for the likes of Virgin Mobile, AOL and Nickelodeon.

Tony Prosser, RealtimeUK’s Managing Director commented, “Andrew, Richard and Karinga each bring with them a wealth of knowledge and we are delighted to welcome them to the company. As we move forward we continue to work with a high calibre of international companies and progressively expand our team.”

My Pet Hotel 2

My Pet Hotel 2 is the refined pet care programme for demanding players. Owners of fish, budgies, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, dogs, horses and their young will leave their animals with you and you will return them in excellent condition of course. The more success, the more opportunities!

Take the best care you can of your four-legged and feathered guests: feed them, keep their enclosures clean, play with them, get new toys for them, and ride the horses in the countryside.
You will build and expand your pet hotel based on your ideas in exciting scenarios in order to provide a good and protected place to stay for pets.

FEATURES:

• Speech recognition and touchpen interaction
• Player takes care of most popular pets and their young
• Highly detailed graphics on pets, objects, setting and movements

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Nintendo DS

Bust a Move Onto Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday with "Boogie Bunnies!" and Catch Up on Highlights from CES

This week, players can achieve their dream of stardom with “Boogie Bunnies” when it shimmies its way onto Xbox LIVE® Arcade for Xbox 360™this Wednesday, 16th January at 9:00 a.m.

In “Boogie Bunnies,” an imaginative color matching 3D puzzle game from Sierra Online, players must use their wits to keep a herd of bunnies out of danger. “Boogie Bunnies” transports players to exotic locations where they complete extensive chain puzzles to trigger funky bunny dances. The game features Classic, Arcade or Endless game modes that players can join in for some furry fun either online or offline in two-player cooperative and competitive modes that the entire family will enjoy.

Highlights from CES

Coming hot off the heels of CES is the announcement that several electrifying titles will launch soon on Xbox LIVE Arcade, including “Poker Smash” from indie developer Void Star Creations. “Poker Smash” incorporates gameplay elements found in today’s most engrossing puzzle games and adds a poker twist to the mix. Combined with a stunning presentation, the “Poker Smash” puzzle package is a game not to be missed. Additionally, “Rez HD” from Q Entertainment will also be launching soon, which is the Xbox LIVE Arcade exclusive update to the classic shooter that has achieved almost mythical status among gamers for its truly unique entertainment experience. Also launching soon on Xbox LIVE Arcade is “Brain Challenge,” from Gameloft, which is Xbox LIVE Arcade’s first brain training game. “Brain Challenge” boosts brain activity and helps players develop stress-management skills in fun, innovative ways, thanks to a wide variety of games spanning across math, reasoning, memory, focus and logic. Finally, “Lode Runner” will be launching on Xbox LIVE Arcade later in 2008, and is a complete remake of the famous platform game. With free trial downloads for every game and over 100 games to choose from, Xbox LIVE Arcade offers something for every member of the family.

Where can I get “Boogie Bunnies” from?

Boogie Bunnies: available for 800 MS Points from 9:00 a.m., Wednesday 16th January 2008

It is rated 3+

More information is available at http://www.xbox.com/games/livearcade

S2 Games and iGames Partner for Launch of Savage 2: A Tortured Soul

Independent game developer S2 Games announced today a partnership with iGames, North America’s leading game center organization, for the launch of Savage 2: A Tortured Soul. The partnership will offer gamers a full Savage 2 account while playing at iGames affiliated game centers. Savage 2 will launch on January 16 and sell for $29.99 exclusively online via download from www.s2games.com.

The partnership with iGames allows gamers to create and maintain a full game account while playing at any iGames affiliated game center. This includes unlimited online play, participation in the Savage 2 Clan League, use of persistent items, and more. Additionally, iGames will be hosting preview events at select locations across North America and internationally where gamers can try Savage 2 absolutely free. For locations visit www.igames.org.

In addition to playing at iGames locations, gamers are able to download the Savage 2 game client for free from anywhere in the world and access several features including playing the offline single player tutorial, unlimited LAN play, access to the comprehensive replay database that catalogues each and every game, as well as sign-up for a demo account for up to 5 free hours of online play. Gamers who enjoy the game can simply upgrade through the game client or from the official website.

“Because the gameplay is so unique, building community is a major part of Savage 2,” said Marc DeForest, co-founder and lead designer of S2 Games. “We implemented an assortment of features in the design of the game that embraced the community and our partnership with iGames extends that commitment.”

“Creating a place where gamers can come together and play their favorite games is what iGames is all about,” said Mark Nielsen, iGames Executive Director. “Savage 2 is one of those unique games that comes along and truly embraces the community and gives gamers a reason to team up, create clans and really enjoy a unique gaming experience.”

For more information on Savage 2: A Tortured Soul, please visit http://savage2.s2games.com.

About Savage 2: A Tortured Soul
Savage 2: A Tortured Soul is the sequel to the critically acclaimed online multiplayer game Savage: A Battle for Newerth, which introduced gamers to the completely new Real Time Strategy Shooter (RTSS) gaming genre. Savage enabled players to opt for either the fast-paced, run-and-gun action of a first-person shooter (FPS) game – playing as a Warrior – or the more cerebral and tactical planning of a real-time strategy (RTS) game – playing as a Commander – working together as a team to defeat the enemy. Savage 2: A Tortured Soul builds upon the addicting, fast-paced gameplay of the original with additional squad-based features and enhanced role-playing game (RPG) elements which enable players to build their character level and abilities throughout the game.

About S2 Games
The core S2 Games team is an experienced group of developers from diverse backgrounds, including film, fine art, computer science and business. Through this mix of skill and experience, a synergy is born creating a fresh perspective in game design. The mission of the S2 Games team is to create the next level of multiplayer gaming. With the creation of the K2™ Engine, they have the freedom to take online multiplayer games to heights not reached before. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.s2games.com.

About iGames
iGames, Inc. offers a wide range of services to help independent and franchised game centers. iGames’ mission is to promote and develop the growth of the game center industry. Its services unite game centers with the goal of establishing them as the driving force enabling the interactive entertainment industry to become the number one form of entertainment around the world. iGames has established strong relationships with industry leaders to provide a wide variety of products, services and programs to member game centers and gamers including software licensing, hardware discounts, exclusive game premieres, tournaments, and game nights. Today the company counts well over 500 centers and 1.2 million gamers, initiating and co-organizing more than 200 events a year. To learn more about iGames, go to www.igames.org.