PT Boats: Knights of the Sea Multiplayer Screenshots

Akella is pleased to present the recent multiplayer screenshots from PT Boats: Knights of the Sea which is a mix of fast-paced action sim and a more hardcore experience involving tactical planning and strategic thinking. Slated for release later this year, the title undergoes the final touches on balancing and minor bug fixes.

The fresh downloads show off the Deathmatch Mode and feature refresh of the game artwork.

The screenshots can be accessed in the game gallery

About PT Boats: Knights of the Sea

PT Boats: Knights of the Sea
Genre: naval action simulator
Platform: PC
Developer and publisher: Akella
Release date: Q2 2008

The seas can be dangerous, but when you're in command of a crack strike boat crew, you might just be the most dangerous thing out there...

Join up to the Russian, German or Allied navies and prove your worth out these on the open water. Control every aspect of your boat's defensive and offensive, from the anti-aircraft guns hobbling your enemy's air superiority to the torpedo strapped to the sides to sink destroyers of merchant vessels.

Combining advanced strategic and action modes you can plan the intricacies of your attack and then lead your crew from the front and right in the battle. As you advance in rank throughout the long campaign you will gain access to new boats and even warships for you to command. Build up your crew in single player then go online and join your friends manning your own boat and challenge others in a battle to the death.

Key features:

• Innovative combination of sim, strategy and tactical action.
• Control the entire crew or take your place at an individual station.
• DirectX 9 as well as DirectX 10 options.

Proprietary graphics engine, with advanced physics and post-processing effects

Xbox Live Cheaters gamerscore accounts to zero There is NO appeal

Microsoft reset cheaters' "gamerscore" accounts to zero and eliminated all past achievements. There is no appeal.

Microsoft is cracking down on players on its Xbox Live gaming service who use hacks to artificially inflate their scores.

"Today, we took action,"

said Larry Hryb, Microsoft's Xbox Live programming director, in a blog post Wednesday.

Hryb, who blogs under the pseudonym Major Nelson, said Microsoft would reset cheaters' "gamerscore" accounts to zero and eliminate all past achievements. Their gamer profiles would also publicly show they've been caught cheating, according to Hryb.

"Xbox Live remains committed to keeping the service free of cheating in order to maintain a fair and level playing field for everyone,"

said Hryb.

In a separate post, Microsoft said its judgments on whether a player had amassed their score by cheating are final. "The original gamerscore correction will remain permanent without any way to appeal," the company warned.

"Your best choice is to show the community you won't do it again,"

said Microsoft.

Microsoft said it uses "specific and automated criteria" to determine if players are cheating. Some Xbox Live players have been known to cheat by using third party tools to hack into their saved game files.

Microsoft's crackdown on Xbox Live cheaters is so far proving popular with legitimate players.

"About time, how many people have been caught so far?,"

said a user in a post on the Major Nelson blog.

"Good job making the service fair, Microsoft,"

said another.

In addition to online gaming, Xbox Live also lets users download high-definition movies and TV shows and communicate with each other. The service counts more than 10 million members, according to Microsoft.

Source: Information Week

Nintendo Wii Leads Jump in Japan's Game Market

Console sales grow 13.4 percent in 2007, led by the cheaper Wii, says a new report.

The console game market in Japan grew 13.4 percent in 2007 thanks largely to the popularity of Nintendo's Wii, according to a report due to be published on Friday.

The entire game console market was worth ¥685 billion (US$6.9 billion) in 2007, with the hardware and software markets about evenly matched. In the previous year the software side of the market had led the industry but the sector was rebalanced last year due to the availability of the Wii and Sony's PlayStation 3, said Media Create in its annual "Game Market White Paper."

The PlayStation 3 launched on Nov. 11, 2006, and the Wii hit store shelves in Japan on Dec. 2, 2006, but early popularity of the consoles meant that many sales were delayed until 2007. Price cuts for the PlayStation 3, which was criticized early on for being too expensive, also helped boost sales later in 2007.

Total hardware sales rose 31 percent to $3.48 billion and software sales were virtually unchanged at $3.39 billion, according to the report. The estimates are based on point-of-sales system data gathered by Media Create from hundreds of retailers in Japan.

"Sales of Wii software rose strongly but those for the PlayStation 2 fell so they offset each other," said Kenichi Chiba, an analyst at the Tokyo company.

The Wii has been credited with revitalizing Japan's console game market and expanding the gaming population -- the number of people who regularly play video games. Its innovative wireless and motion sensitive controller and a low price have been key to attracting many people who might otherwise not have bought a game console. The Wii currently sells in Japan for $250, versus $400 for the PlayStation 3.

Sales of the console totaled 1.1 million in the few weeks of 2006 during which it was on sale, and 3.9 million during 2007 to take total Japan sales to 5 million units by the end of the year, Nintendo said.

The Wii remains popular. In the week from March 10 to 16 the Wii was the number two-selling games device in Japan with sales of 55,845 units, according to Media Create. In first place was Nintendo's handheld DS with sales of 57,651 units.

Source: PC World

Details Emerge On Rock Band for Nintendo Wii

MTV and Harmonix announced recently that Rock Band has been confirmed and will be released on the Nintendo Wii on June 22. More details have now been released about the game, revealing how it will compare to its PS2, PS3, and Xbox 360 counterparts.
It is looking more and more like Rock Band on the Nintendo Wii will be very similar to the PS2 version. Reports are that the game is actually going to be a port of the PS2 version, and not a port of the PS3 or Xbox 360 version.

This is due to the fact that it is confirmed to not feature any type of online play or downloadable content. This means no downloadable songs, no online music store, no Band World Tour mode online etc.

In terms of the songs though, the Wii version will get a bit of a boost to try to make up for the alck of DLC.

The Wii version is getting 5 bonus tracks over the original Xbox 360 and PS3 playlists. This is a nice bonus, but still does not fully replace DLC.

The other news is that Harmonix may not be putting any type of band customization or the Band World Tour mode in the game. These may be left out of the Wii version.

And finally, those of you with Guitar Hero III on the Wii should know that the guitar will not work on Rock Band.

Source: dbTechno

Warhammer: Battle March - Character Profiles 2: Dark Elves 2

Dark Elf Dragon (mount for heroes)
Ancient and deadly, the dragons of Naggaroth are reared by the Beastmasters and are amongst the most powerful creatures in all the lands. They can breathe forth a noxious cloud of corrosive fumes that burns skin and causes any who breathe it to choke and die. Only the greatest lords amongst the Dark Elves ride atop the massive Black Dragons of Naggaroth which, even alone, have the power to destroy an army.

Dark Elf Spearmen
Citizen-warriors of Naggaroth are most commonly armed with long, heavy bladed spears, and they are uniformly well drilled in their usage. Each warrior is highly skilled and has reactions far superior to those of lesser races, and through near constant warfare and training, the citizen-warriors of Naggaroth are more than a match for the professional sol-diers of other races.

Harpies
Harpies are feral winged creatures possessed of a savage, primeval beauty. Some claim they are the souls of slain Witch Elves given form, others that they are the manifestation of Khaine in his aspect of the predator. They are creatures of Khaine, that is for sure, for they delight in the tormenting of their victims and feast upon raw flesh.

Highborn
The noble Highborn are the ruling elite of Naggaroth, and it is they who often lead the armies of conquest against the lesser races. They are haughty, noble and their training in the arts of war is second to none. Equipped with the finest of Dark Elf arms and armour, they are fearsome foes on the field of battle.

High Sorceress
The High Sorceresses are the most powerful practitioners of the Dark Arts in all of Nagga-roth bar the Witch King himself, and they wield terrifying powers. They are incredibly adept at manipulating the Winds of Magic in their rawest, most destructive form, channel-ling energies that would destroy lesser beings into powerful spells that can lay waste to enemy armies.

Kaeleth
Claimed as a babe by the bloody Witch Elf priestesses of Khaine, the infant Kaeleth was offered up to Khaine, the god of murder, and plunged ritualistically into a Cauldron of Blood. Initiated into the Temple of Khaine, the young Dark Elf was raised as an Assassin, and over the centuries has become a master of death.

One of the Witch King's most feared assassins, Kaeleth is a master of blades, poison and the darkness, and he is capable of infiltrating the enemy, slaying his target and making his escape without trace. But it is not just the foes of the Dark Elves that must fear him – for Malekith uses Kaeleth to silence any Dark Elf foolish enough to question his authority.

Lilaeth
Bitter and fuelled by hatred, Lilaeth is a member of the dark convents of the sorceresses – a mistress of the Dark Arts. As are all Sorceresses she is wedded to Malekith the Witch King, and studied many years to master the channelling of the raw Winds of Magic that flow across the land. For centuries she has served the Witch King, and she commands devastatingly destructive magic.

When the Witch King launched a war against his hated High Elf kin, Lilaeth fought at his side, leading a splinter army that pushed deep into Ulthuan. This war was eventually re-pelled, and Lilaeth's army was shattered. At the mercy of the High Elf mage Aurelion, Lilaeth's life was spared that she may face the wrath of the Witch King.

Malekith has given her one chance to redeem her failure, and to seek her vengeance on the High Elves.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky Release date announced

GSC World Publishing and Deep Silver announce planned release date for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

Game will be released on August 29, 2008

GSC Game World, computer games developer, its publishing subdivision GSC World Publishing and Koch Media, a leading marketer of video games, today announced the planned release date for the title S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky. According to the agreed plan, the game will ship August 29, 2008 worldwide. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky will be published by the games labels Deep Silver and GSC World Publishing.

“The topic of the release date for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky has created a lot of interest among gamers, press and fans. We’re pleased to announce an exact date for this highly anticipated game now,”

said Craig McNicol, Managing Director of Koch Media.

“Our intention to deliver the game simultaneously worldwide is both a challenge and big responsibility to the many fans of the game around the globe. We are looking forward to achieve this ambitious goal in August.“

- said Sergiy Grygorovych, GSC World Publishing CEO.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky is a survival FPS game for PC based on a ‘what-if’ scenario of the second Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident. The game is created as a warning to mankind against mindless play with technologies. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky is the official prequel to the renowned S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game by the Ukraine-based GSC Game World studio. The game is set in 2011and brings forth the events to have preceded the third campaign of Strelok to the Zone center. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky introduces an alternative look onto the events of the original game and offers the player to try himself out as a mercenary s.t.a.l.k.e.r. in search of his own path in the world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

Official game site: www.stalker-game.com

Rail Simulator Official Expansion Pack Released - 08 SHUNTER AND CAJON PASS ROUTE OUT NOW!

Rail Simulator Official Expansion Pack Released

08 SHUNTER AND CAJON PASS ROUTE OUT NOW!

Just Trains is pleased to announce that its first official expansion pack, Rail Simulator Official Expansion Pack – Cajon Pass/ 08 Shunter is now available to purchase in boxed format with the download version already on sale. European users can now add the fantastic 80-mile Cajon Pass route to Rail Simulator. This route links San Bernardino in Southern California to Barstow in the north and the challenging climbs, descents, embankments and cuttings are faithfully reproduced.

There are two brilliant locomotives - the Union Pacific ES44AC and SD40-2 – as well as bonus skins, eleven unique rolling stock wagons and seven scenarios. As if that wasn't enough, the pack also features the classic British Class 08 Shunter in 12 period liveries and with six all-new scenarios,

A video showing the product off in full has been produced –

http://videos.justflight.info/jt/RailSimulator/RailSimulator_OfficialExpansionPack_HQ.wmv and the product page can be found here

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS: Windows Vista or XP

MINIMUM HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: PC with 2.6 GHz equivalent or higher processor, DVD-ROM drive, 512Mb RAM, 256Mb video card, 2.0Gb hard drive space

Title: Rail Simulator – Official Expansion Pack
Label: Just Trains
Developer: Rail Simulator Developments Ltd

Genre Train Simulation
Platform PC – expansion for Rail Simulator
Release Out now as download and in Boxed format
SRP £19.99 / €29.95 / $39.99

Hurry Up Hedgehog Out now on Nintendo DS

Probably the cutest hedgehogs ever to be seen on the Nintendo DS will be out in full force tomorrow with the fervent arrival of Hurry Up Hedgehog!

This is the best chance you are ever going to get to lead your family and friends up the garden path (quite literally!). Hurry Up Hedgehog features dynamic game play which will require you to dodge hazards, outsmart your opponents and use cunning to race your hedgehogs across the garden and claim victory!

Race, creep, jostle and out-manoeuvre in this intriguing multiplayer brainteaser for all ages!

Bella Sara, the leading girls trading card series and online world, to Nintendo DS and PC.

Codemasters, Granada Ventures and Hidden City Games to bring Bella Sara, the leading girls trading card series and online world, to Nintendo DS and PC.

Bella Sara's world of inspirational fantasy horses and positive messaging to come to game screens in Q4.

Strengthening its casual entertainment portfolio Codemasters, a leading creator and publisher of video games, today announced that it has secured the rights to introduce Bella Sara™, the award-winning trading cards and online world for girls, to the video game market.

In a worldwide licensing agreement with Granada Ventures, the merchandise, licensing and publishing division of the UK's largest commercial broadcaster ITVplc, and Hidden City Games, Inc., the Seattle-based game and entertainment company, Codemasters will publish Bella Sara video games for Nintendo DS™ and PC in Q4, 2008.

Bella Sara is a phenomenon amongst 5–12-year old girls and has sold over 40 million trading cards worldwide since the series debuted in 2007. Each Bella Sara card features a fairytale-like illustration of a horse along with a positive and inspirational message for young girls, such as "Beauty comes from within" or "Be the hero in your own story". A unique code on every card activates a virtual horse that can be cared for in the Bella Sara online world at www.bellasara.com. The site, which features hundreds of virtual horses, a variety of age-appropriate casual games, customizable cottages, puzzles, colouring books, interactive stories and more has amassed more than 2 million registered users from 240 countries.

"As the leading card and online property for young girls, Bella Sara is a proven success and the perfect addition to Codemasters' casual entertainment category," said Leon Sanders, Brand Manager, Casual Entertainment, Codemasters.
"Signing Bella Sara extends our portfolio to the young female gaming market and, with the immensely popular online world of Bella Sara, the property brings an established computer-friendly audience that already understands its unique, creative playing experience."

"We're delighted to be working with Codemasters on this exceptional brand", commented Melanie Beer, Head of Licensing, Granada Ventures. "We look forward to seeing the world of Bella Sara come alive as console and PC games."

As Nintendo DS and PC titles, the Bella Sara games will immerse players in an interactive world of fantasy horses. Players will be able to ride, care for, accessorise and trade the horses with friends whilst discovering secret items and exclusive cards to activate on the official website. For more information on Bella Sara, please visit www.bellasara.com

Dexter the Video game comes to consoles

Players Enter the Conflicted World of "The Dark Defender"

Marc Ecko Entertainment has announced it has entered into a production agreement with Showtime Networks to design a videogame based on the Emmy® and Golden Globe® winning hit television series “DEXTER”, currently airing on ITV1. Marc Ecko Entertainment will develop the property for interactive media in close collaboration with Showtime Networks to guarantee its faithfulness to the spirit of the groundbreaking show.

DEXTER follows Dexter Morgan, a forensic blood spatter expert for the Miami Dade Police Department whose perfectly respectable persona hides a dark compulsion: he is a serial killer who hunts down people who have escaped justice.

“DEXTER is the extremely rare TV show with enough layers of action and tension to translate perfectly into a compelling videogame,” said Marc Fernandez, Vice President of Marc Ecko Entertainment. “Our game designers, writers, and artists are going to give Dexter’s morally complex world the kind of interactivity that gamers will love.”

“DEXTER is one of the most popular shows on SHOWTIME with a particularly strong fan base among gamers. It’s a very logical jump to create a game with the website IGN.com naming it 2007’s ‘Best Television Program’,” said Len Fogge, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Digital Media and Research at Showtime Networks. “We’re confident Marc Ecko Entertainment’s team has the unique talents to take Dexter to the interactive space in the right way.”

Marc Ecko Entertainment handled the production side of 2005’s game “Getting Up” and is currently working on an untitled project with developer Human Head. The Dexter game is in pre-production and Showtime Networks and Marc Ecko Entertainment are in talks with a handful of developers to bring the game to life. More details will be announced in upcoming months.