Chinese Game Maker Seeks To Conquer World With Ancient Myth

"Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is to China what "Morte d'Arthur" or "Antony and Cleopatra" is to the West: a centuries-old telling of an even more ancient history of kings, slaves, battles, betrayals, marriages and intrigue. The tale has adapted readily to the modern media age, spawning movies, TV shows, comic books and -- inevitably -- video games.

The latest entry comes from Perfect World PWRD, a Chinese creator of massive multiplayer online role-playing games, or MMOPRGs. "Chi Bi," named after a famous Three Kingdoms battle, was launched in open beta testing Jan. 25 and should be fully up and running by the end of this month. The timing is no accident since the game includes features of a big-budget John Woo movie about the battle due out this year.

Historical Setting

"Chi Bi" is Perfect World's first game in a historical setting, but not its first shrewd tie-in. Right now, its most-played game is "Zhu Xian," based on a popular Internet fantasy-adventure novel of the same name. Another popular game is "Legend of Martial Arts," based on a TV series. All this followed on its flagship game, "Perfect World," and its sequel "Perfect World 2."

That's a lot of games for a company that's only two years old. Analysts say it can take other game developers that long just to cook up one game, much less five of them. The key is its technology platform Angelica 3D Game Engine, which Perfect World uses as a base for all its games. By not starting from scratch, it can turn out new variations fast and cheap.

"It creates a manufacturing flow, like a studio," said Tian Hou, analyst with Pali Research. "Other companies put millions of dollars into their games, but Perfect World's (research and development) costs half a million. After they finish, they do the promotion, spending about $1.5 million. They can make it all back in one month of operations."

It helps that China -- and increasingly, the rest of the world -- seems to have a bottomless appetite for MMOPRGs. In the last month, Perfect World and its four rivals on the U.S. stock market -- The9 NCTY, Shanda Interactive SNDA, Giant Interactive GA and NetEase (NASDAQ:NTES) NTES -- all soundly beat analysts' views for the fourth quarter.

Perfect World said it had an average of 624,000 users online at any one time, up 153% from the year-ago quarter. Revenue jumped even more, better than tripling the prior year at $35.4 million. Overall, 2007 was the firm's first profitable year, racking up 92 cents a share.

Perfect World is still one of the smaller players in the MMOPRG business, but it plans to get bigger soon. The company has five other games in development and three more in the planning stages. Next behind "Chi Bi" is "Hot Dance Party," which is just now finishing its closed beta testing phase.

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Video games censored by Nintendo of America

Nintendo of America has gained notoriety for its formerly strict censorship policy, particularly with regard to video games bearing religious symbols (for instance pentagrams), violence, profane language and so forth. The reason for this policy is attributed to its attempt to make its video games more family friendly.

Nintendo has discontinued the policy with the advent of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board; however, the company does still perform self-censorship in its own games to some extent. An example of this being the "Angel" ability in recent Kirby games (2003 onward) changed to the "Cupid" ability in the English versions due to religious references. The advent of console emulation, coupled with the rise of foreign ROM images, revealed Nintendo of America's censorship policies in practice to North American gamers.

See the full list on Wikipedia

Nintendo DS and Wii topped the U.S. charts for February

NPD Reports Nintendo's Solid U.S. Sales For February

March 13, 2008

The latest video game industry sales figures reported by the independent NPD Group show that Nintendo DS and Wii topped the U.S. charts for February. Nintendo DS sold nearly 587,600 units and Wii sold nearly 432,000.

"Our momentum has not let up since the holidays and we expect it to continue throughout the year," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "We have the industry's strongest lineup of games for everyone from core to casual gamers."

February sales, according to NPD, in the United States:

• Nintendo sold more than 1 million hardware units combined, accounting for nearly half (47.6 percent) of all hardware sold.
  
• Nintendo DS games topped all software sales, with more than 3.6 million units sold. Consumers purchased nearly 2.9 million software units for Wii. Four of every 10 games sold were for Nintendo systems.
  
• Three games in the top five sellers for February play on Nintendo systems, including two from third-party publishers.
  
• Nearly 1.7 million accessories were purchased for Wii, more than for any other system. More than 1.2 million accessories were sold for Nintendo DS as well.
  

Lord of the Rings OnlineTM: Mines of Moria

The Lord of the Rings OnlineTM: Mines of MoriaTM: Mines of MoriaTM Unveiled At Connect 08

Volume II of the 2007 PC Game of the Year Expected to Arrive at Retail This Fall

Turbine, Inc. and Codemasters Online today unveiled Volume II of The Lord of the Rings Online, the first retail expansion for the award-winning massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG). Announced in Birmingham, the childhood home of J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings Online Mines of Moria will expand the online world of Middle-earth to let players explore the ancient underground cities of the dwarves, battle epic characters in the depths, face off with the Watcher, be a part of the fateful release of Durin’s Bane and more! The Lord of the Rings Online expects to open Volume II of its epic story in the fall of 2008 with an increased level cap, two new classes and the introduction of a unique item advancement system.

“The Mines of Moria is one of the most epic settings in all of fantasy fiction,” said Jim Crowley, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. “No one delivers more quality content than Turbine and with our journey into Moria, we will raise the bar even higher. We are adding vast amounts of content, debuting massive new environments and unveiling numerous unique feature sets, like item advancement, which will create entirely new dimensions of compelling game play and social interaction which are unique to The Lord of the Rings Online experience.”

NEW FEATURES:

• Speak Friend, and Enter – Moria, called Khazad-dûm by the dwarves, was their capital and the grandest of cities. This enormous underground cavern in north-western Middle-earth, comprises an immense network of tunnels, chambers, mines and huge halls that run beneath and ultimately through the Misty Mountains. For the first time, players of The Lord of the Rings Online will enter this ancient city which has served as the foundation for the modern-day dungeon-crawling adventures to battle the hordes of goblins and the Nameless of the Deep and journey through hundreds of new quests within six new kinds of stunning environments.
  
  
  
• The Epic Continues! — The Mines of Moria represents the beginning of Volume II of The Lord of the Rings Online. Players can experience six new books as part of this update and participate in the release of Durin’s Bane, battle the Watcher, aid Galadriel and more!
  
  
  
• Increased Level Cap — Players will be able advance their characters up to level 60, gaining access to new traits, virtues, skills and class quests. The crafting system will also expand, giving players the ability to craft even more powerful items.
  
  
  
• Discover Two New Classes — The Rune-keeper and the Warden, the first new classes to be introduced since the launch of the game, allow players to build exciting and powerful new characters in The Lord of the Rings Online in diverse new ways.
  
  
  
• Forge Legendary Items – The Mines of Moria will introduce Turbine’s new item advancement system to The Lord of the Rings Online. Players will be able to forge weapons and class-related equipment and evolve them to build a legacy the likes of Bilbo’s Sting and Gandalf’s Glamdring. These legendary weapons will level-up along with the player, allowing customization by advancing the item’s virtues, adding runic legacies, modifying its titles and forming fables.
  
  
  
• To celebrate this exciting news, Turbine and Codemasters also announced today that they will kick off a major promotion that invites everyone to unlock the Mines of Moria by visiting http://www.unlocktheminesofmoria.com. Visitors can learn more about Mines of Moria and play special mini-games that will be periodically released over the coming months. Certain players who participate can complete special deeds through game play and other means to unlock exclusive previews, assets and special in-game items that may help them when they delve into Mines of Moria this fall. The Unlock the Mines of Moria promotion is scheduled to begin at the end of this month.
  
  
  
• The Lord of the Rings Online is an award-winning MMORPG that delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places and monsters from the most beloved fantasy adventure of all time. From the picturesque surroundings of the Shire to Moria, the great underground realm, players will experience the world of Middle-earth as never before. The Lord of the Rings Online is available for purchase at major retailers across North America and Europe. For more information or to download a free trial, visit www.lotro.com or www.lotro-europe.com.
  

Dragon Hunters for Nintendo DS out in April 2008

Dragon Hunters for Nintendo DS will be hitting stores starting April 2008


Publisher: Playlogic International
Developer: Engine Software

Playlogic Entertainment, an independent worldwide publisher of entertainment software, announced that Dragon Hunters for Nintendo DS will hit stores across the world starting April 2008.

About Dragon Hunters for Nintendo DS:

Dragon Hunters for Nintendo DS is based on the world of the popular Dragon Hunter TV series and the full feature length animated CG movie by the same name, both created and produced by Futurikon. In the game developed by handheld veterans Engine Software, the player follows the adventures of two hunters-for-hire, Lian-Chu and Gwizdo, and their trusty friend Hector, on their quest for fame and fortune.

Dragon Hunters is a platform action game where you will need the special skills of each character to overcome obstacles, like a variety of enemies, puzzles and platform challenges.

A unique element of the game is the use of gravity: walk on walls and ceilings and explore twisting and turning levels to solve puzzles and reach hidden areas in the vast worlds of Dragon Hunters. Further features include powerful boss dragons in challenging 3D dual screen battles and competitive multiplayer mini games.

Dragon Hunters offers all new elements to form a great platform action game appealing to both fans of the series and movie as well as gamers of all ages.

Playlogic International has been granted the exclusive worldwide videogame license from Futurikon for a period of five years on all platforms. Dragon Hunters will release worldwide starting April 2008.

For more info about Dragon Hunters for Nintendo DS please visit:
www.dragonhunters-thegame.com

Agatha Christies Mysteries video game comes to PC and Nintendo Wii

JoWooD Productions Presents Agatha Christies Mysteries

On sale 20th March 2008.

JoWooD Productions are pleased to announce on Thursday 20th March they will be releasing ‘Agatha Christie Mysteries’ for PC, priced at £19.99 (SRP) exclusively in United Kingdom. Agatha Christies was England’s most prolific writer…. Roughly Four billion copies of novels sold and this number continues to rise, through 80 detective novels, 160 short stories, 6 novels as well as a comic series.

On stage and screen: 299 Movie Adaptations, 47 TV adaptations, over 14 TV series,16 plays, 4 radio plays, 2 TV plays and a Japanese anime series…

Now experience murder first hand…in ‘Agatha Christies Mysteries’…



Prepare yourself for three extraordinary investigative thrillers in the superb adaptions of three of the world’s Best-Selling novels: Murder on the Orient Express, And then there were None and Evil Under the Sun.

Board the legendary Orient Express and solve a perplexing murder mystery alongside famous detective Hercule Poirot! Murder on the Orient Express, featuring David Suchet is filled with spectacular twists and turns and includes a surprise ending that is different from the original novel.

A curious assortment of virtual strangers invited to a lavish estate on an isolated island awaits you in And then there where None. The mysterious host accuses each of his “guests” of murder and proceeds to exact justice by becoming judge, jury and executioner... for each has been marked for murder: Tension mounts and secrets are revealed as, in accord to the ingenious plan of the unknown killer, one-by-one the number of guests systematically dwindles. Find the culprit or there will be none...

And finally the famous Detective Hercule Poirot turns up at just the right time to begin an investigation into the murder of a famous actress during what should have been the start of a relaxing holiday. Taking on the role of Hercule Poirot, players are able to scour a stunning tropical island for clues and delve deeper into the mysterious relationships between over 20 unique characters to search out the killer and finally solve the case of the Evil under the Sun.

Features:
Experience the new and very creative built-in hint system as Hercule Poirot acts as your mentor and confidante
Shadow and interact with over 25 different characters throughout your investigation to gain insight on each suspect
Visually impressive 3D as well as breathtaking third-person graphics immerse you deep into the mystery
Three challenging murder mysterys that will stretch the furthest limits of your imagination
60+ hours of engrossing gameplay

Release: March 18th 2008

The Lost Crown A Ghost hunting Adventure Awarded Rare A+ By Just Adventure

"The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure" Awarded Rare "A+" By Just Adventure

Spine-tingling adventure game joins hallowed hall of adventure classics

Got Game Entertainment today announced that in the 10-year history of leading adventure game site Just Adventure, only a handful of adventure games have been awarded a review grade of “A+”. Included in this exclusive list are such classics as “The Longest Journey”, “Syberia I”, “Syberia II”, “Leisure Suit Larry 7”, “Scratches: Director's Cut” (also from Got Game Entertainment) and, now, “The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure”. Further, among those awarded Just Adventure’s highest rating, “The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure” ranks among the very few created almost entirely by one individual, Jonathan Boakes (“Dark Fall”, “Dark Fall II: Lights Out”).

“When we first learned Jonathan Boakes was creating a new adventure game, we knew we would be in for something special,” said Just Adventure founder Randy Sluganksi. “But the chilling, intricately woven story, as well as the sheer size of the ‘The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure’ exceeded all expectations.”

In “The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure”, players unravel an ancient mystery and search for hidden treasures on England's fog-shrouded coastline, famed for its legends of smugglers, pirates, and ghosts. Joining ghost-hunters Nigel Danvers and Lucy Reubans as they investigate a tale of horror and haunting, players wield the tools of the modern-day ghost-hunter in a cinematic, richly detailed interactive world of wind-swept coastlines and crumbling crypts, where they are captivated, taunted, and teased by mind-bending puzzles and interactions with the town “locals”. Actual E.V.P. (Electronic Voice Phenomena), photographs of unexplained entities captured by creator Jonathan Boakes while researching the game, and a bone-chilling original soundtrack enhance the eerie atmosphere as players delve into local legends and discover long-lost secrets, previously known only to the dead.

“This sort of acknowledgement from Just Adventure, who are highly respected in the adventure gaming community, is definitely an honor”, said Boakes. “I am thrilled that ‘The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure’ is ranked in such rarified company”.

For more information, visit www.TheLostCrown.com.

Beautiful Synergy - DJ Sharpnel Stepmania video

Great set of combos in this tough challenge.

First patch for Lost Empire - Immortals released

First patch for Lost Empire: Immortals released

Recently released 4x strategy extravaganza from Pollux Gamelabs has received its first patch. Explore, expand, exploit and exterminate through this supremely vast universe of diverse galaxies and unique civilizations, a gaming experience not to be missed.

The patch includes:

- Enhanced Multi player stability and functionality
- Challenging Minor Race AI resulting in increased early game action.
- Early game tweaks, making those decisions very significant
- Weapons and ships with more diverse design options

Download patch: http://www.paradoxplaza.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=120

Visit the official website to download the demo and read more : http://www.paradoxplaza.com/lostempire

Download from GamersGate: http://www.gamersgate.com/%20index.php?page=product&what=view&sku=DD-LEI

Suggested retail price: USD 29.99/ EUR 29.99

Moon video game announced for Nintendo DS

Mastiff and Renegade Kid Unveil "Project M"

Moon Announced for Nintendo DS

Mastiff, a worldwide publisher of videogames and Renegade Kid, developer of innovative interactive software, today announced the title codenamed "Project M" has been officially named Moon after the cold and barren hunk of rock orbiting earth.

Developed by Renegade Kid, Moon is a sci-fi, action-adventure title for Nintendo DS™. Moon places gamers on the cold lunar surface in the year 2058. Researchers are shocked to find a sealed, alien hatch during construction of a new lunar base, but it's a shock that soon pales in comparison to what they find beyond the hatch.

"Moon is dark, twisted, heart pounding, frequently violent and always disturbing. Pretty much what you'd expect when you take madmen like Renegade Kid, jack their technology up to the next level, and turn them loose," said Bill Swartz, Head Woof of Mastiff.

"Moon demonstrates the impressive power of NIntendo DS, while appealing to a crowd that's looking for a first-person action-adventure title that delivers a menacing story and really puts your gaming skills to the test," said Jools Watsham, Owner and Creative Director at Renegade Kid. "Building upon our achievements with Dementium: The Ward, Renegade Kid is utilizing its sophisticated 3D engine, dubbed the 'Renegade Engine,' to continue pushing the limits of Nintendo DS and focus on producing high quality content."