PixelJunk Monsters Encore - PlayStation 3 Fact sheet

FACT SHEET

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Developer: Q-Games Ltd.
Platform: PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) computer entertainment system / PLAYSTATION Network (PSN)
Genre: Action Strategy
Rating: “E” for Everyone
Target Release: MAY 8, 2008

OVERVIEW
It’s time to collect those shiny coins and gems and fire up the cannons - the Monsters are back! Available now on PSN, PixelJunk Monsters Encore adds 15 levels to the addictive real-time strategy game from Japan’s Q-Games. Keeping the same attractive style of meticulously hand-drawn 2D art, PixelJunk™ Monsters Encore recreates the look of a classic with crisp graphics designed for optimal viewing in Full 1080p HD.

In PixelJunk Monsters Encore, the player controls a defender-of-the-forest character in a lush forest environment. The player’s goal is to strategically defend the pathway to his homebase from an onslaught of various threatening monsters. In between waves of monster attacks, the player scrambles to reinforce his defenses by collecting gold coins and jewels from fallen enemies to finance new towers and research deadlier weapons. Eventually, the player can harness the elements throughout the 15 different stages to cast lightning storms across the forest. Gamers can enjoy PixelJunk Monsters Encore with a friend in offline co-op mode, which requires careful strategy and communication. Additionally, PixelJunk™ Monsters Encore will support online leaderboards for both 1p and 2p co-op.

KEY FEATURES

• New Maps - 15 new levels on “Toki Island” give players plenty of the addictive “tower defense” style that made PixelJunk™ Monsters a cult classic.
  
• Simple But Deep – 15 new levels on “Toki Island” Simple controls PixelJunk Monsters Encore easy to learn. But mastering the challenges of tower upgrade and placement requires deep strategic thinking, leading to hours of addictive gameplay.
  
• Visually Charming – PixelJunk Monsters Encore features a unique hand-drawn art style with 15 new stages and weather effects brought to life in 1080p HD.
  
• Distinctive Music – Features new original music and sound by Japanese ambient techno group Otograph
  
• Online Leaderboards – For tracking both single player and co-op high scores.
  
• Remote Play – PixelJunk Monsters Encore also supports Remote Play for more Monsters on your PSP!
  

Ten game - Deca Sports for Nintendo Wii out now

Kick Off Summer With Ten Complete Sporting Events

Hudson Entertainment, the North American publishing arm for HUDSON SOFT, today announced that DECA SPORTS™, a unique ten-sport game, exclusive to Wii™, is now available at retail for $29.99 SRP. Combining ten sporting events into one game, players can compete in beach volleyball, snowboard cross, badminton, basketball, curling, figure skating, archery, supercross, soccer and kart racing.

“DECA SPORTS has been a highly anticipated title in the minds of the enthusiast media and consumers alike almost immediately from the time we announced it was coming to the U.S. market,” said John Greiner, President of Hudson Entertainment. “With summer on the horizon, we anticipate DECA SPORTS being a popular choice for those looking for a fun-filled Wii experience.”

DECA SPORTS offers an immersive experience for players of any age, motivating them to get off of the couch and up on their feet for hours of entertainment. The game offers a wide variety of sporting events and activities, some rarely seen in a video game. Designed with pick-up-and-play intuitive controls for the Wii Remote™ and in three sports, the Nunchuk, DECA SPORTS also includes advanced controls for power spikes, curls, and mid air tricks for the gamer!

All ten sports support both single and multiplayer modes. Up to 4 players can compete on one system and in several events, co-op on the same team. Single player modes include Open Match, Tournament (one sport competition between eight teams), Deca League (ten sport decathlon between eight teams) and Deca League (time/point based challenge mode). Team and player management is an important aspect of the game as certain players are better at certain sports. In the Deca League mode gamers must maneuver their players through ten sports as well as manage their fatigue levels through the competition. Awards are also a big part of the game, as the Locker Room feature allows players to keep track of their medals and trophies.

Lineage II - The Chaotic Throne - Hellbound 'Fantasy Isle'

Sheath your weapon and chill-out on Hellbound's Fantasy Isle.

Lineage II enjoys its reputation as one of the most hardcore player vs. player (PvP) massively multiplayer online games in the market today, and its die-hard community reflects this in many ways. New players are coming to the game in greater numbers and enjoy the unrestrained gameplay and intense battles, and our recently released 4th Anniversary Edition box awards the loyalty of our long-term veterans with discounted player services. When our passionate players and clans aren’t involved in long-term castle sieges or fortress battles, what do they do to wind down or just want to have some fun?

That’s what Fantasy Isle is for. We recently added the island to the game as a place for players to explore, socialize, and have some fun. Fantasy Isle is a peace zone, where there is no fighting, except in special areas (like the Underground Coliseum), so all characters can enjoy it without worrying about being stabbed n the back (or worse). It’s essentially a giant amusement park.

The first thing you’ll notice upon arrival is that the Isle is completely different from the rest of the lands of Aden and Elmore. The environment is frequently bright and alive with color, featuring a beautiful town, lush fields of grass, jungles, hills and many other interesting places. As you can imagine, Fantasy Isle is not a small reef of land, but a huge island, steeped in its own mysteries and places to visit. The local people and creatures are all rather small and cute, and fit within the happy themes of the island.

In March we held an event to formally open Fantasy Isle, which we called the “Bunny Money” event. Players could travel to the island and hunt for pieces of various treasure sacks, which would contain various random goodies we were giving away. With a special skill you could discover all sorts of treasure chests, featuring Rabbit Transformation Scrolls and a special magic eye that let you see even more hidden treasure chests. This two-week event gave the players a chance to explore the wonders of the island while scrounging for some great stuff, including S-grade armor and shadow Agathion bracelets.

The opening of the island is just the start of what’s coming. For the release of Hellbound two new features were added to Fantasy Isle: the Underground Coliseum and the Monster Parade. Featuring a new type of team-battle PvP (essentially team deathmatch), the Underground Coliseum pits teams of players against each other in a series of matches—the team with the most accumulated kills wins. The winning team moves on to the next match, while the losing one has to sit out or enter in another series. Each team has to consist of at least seven players, and there are four different coliseums, split up by level, and one coliseum for players of all levels. Players can access the coliseums from Fantasy Isle, offering up another fun diversion from the normal style of play (or PvP) that regular Lineage II players know.

The Monster Parade occurs four times a day and is a procession of each type of NPC in the game, making its way through the play area of the Isle. Players will be able to see the wide variety of NPCs throughout Aden and Elmore in one place. Some of the participating monsters and NPCs will also show up at the performance area on Fantasy Isle, where they may partake in some special performances, including circus acts and even talent shows.

Of course, that’s just the beginning of what we have in store for Fantasy Isle, not the end. The Isle lets us hold large special events that all players can enjoy at once in one area, which also is a big plus for us. Bunny Money was just the beginning, and shows a fraction of what we’ll be able to do. Also, to keep with the amusement park-style theme, we’re looking to integrate all sorts of mini-games on the island, to keep the area fun, fresh and vibrant. When you’re on Fantasy Isle, we want you to relax and have some stress-free fun.

60% of Grand Theft Auto IV sales on Xbox 360 Microsoft claim

During the first week of sales of Rockstar's GTA IV Microsoft claim 40 per cent of the games were sold with an Xbox 360.

Microsoft claim a significant sales increase for the Xbox 360 with a 54 per cent jump in purchases.

The console can be bought as a package and this has attracted new buyers with the resultant other title sales pushing the Xbox 360 up the charts.

ChartTrack UK say 514,000 Xbox 360 owners bought Grand Theft Auto IV in the first week, while only 413,000 copies of the game were sold on Sony's PlayStation 3 console.

Microsoft Xbox 540 coming in 2009? Xbox upgrade soon?

With TSMC working on a new Valhalla chip that is looking to be a system builder, and numerous other faster, more reliable GPUs coming to creation, the Xbox 360 may be living out its last days. Already.

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Assault Heroes 2 - Exploding on Xbox LIVE Arcade

"Assault Heroes 2," sequel to the award-winning action extravaganza, "Assault Heroes," ramps up the excitement on Xbox LIVE® Arcade this Wednesday, 14th May at 09.00.

"Assault Heroes 2" reveals that the original enemy in "Assault Heroes" is merely a pawn of a more sinister force, which players must now seek out and destroy. Armed with stronger weaponry and the ability to hi-jack more powerful enemy units, players must prepare to face relentless enemies and outrageous bosses in climactic battles, including an all-out skirmish in outer space.

In the sequel, players can experience the full fury of war outside of the safety of their vehicle with even more intense on-foot gameplay, where increased firepower and the new “dodge roll” feature are necessary to survive. Players can choose to fight alone or battle with a friend using the enhanced two-player cooperative mode. Either way, players will travel through diverse and interactive environments on land and in space to overcome the newest enemy and save mankind.

Where can I get this game from?
Developed by Sierra Online, "Assault Heroes 2" will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points.

More information is available at:
• http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/livearcadexbox360 or www.assaultheroes2.com

UK Music Festival "Give It A Name" Smashes Guitar Hero Guinness World Record As GHIII: Legends of Rock Is Performed On Main Stage In Front Of Over 9,6

Two new Guinness World Record holders were crowned at the Give It A Name Festival, Earls Court, London, last night, as they took to the main stage to play Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in front of over 9,600 fans.

The previous record for “Largest Audience For A Videogame Performance” was set at the Download Festival, Donington, in 2007, when the game was played in front of 3,000 people – so last night’s performance smashed this three times over.

Members of the public competed on the Atticus clothing stand during the day for the right to claim their place in Guitar Hero history – with Renos Georgiou, 16, and Lyndon Jones, 15, winning the chance to perform on the festival’s main stage ahead of headliner 30 Seconds To Mars.

And Guinness World Records’ records manager Gareth Deaves was on hand to adjudicate and issue Guinness World Record certificates cementing the achievement, giving the duo bragging rights for years to come. Their performance of Guns ‘n Roses’ “Welcome To The Jungle” in Co-Op mode on Expert difficulty will go down in videogame history as the largest audience for a videogame performance to date.

“Seeing two Guitar Hero players, rocking the 9,600 plus people in Earls Court was a genuine jaw-on-the-floor moment, illustrating how far we’ve come as a franchise,” says Ian McClellan, senior brand manager, Guitar Hero. “A few years ago, games were mainly played in bedrooms. Now we’re on the main stage of a massive indoor festival only an hour or so before Jared Leto’s band headlines. It’s incredible.”

“When we launched the Guinness World Records Gamers Edition, we expected some spectacular record attempts – but never imagined we’d see over 9,600 people rocking out to a videogame,” said Gareth Deaves, records manager, Guinness World Record. “It was an amazing spectacle. What’s clear now is that this is a fantastic record to beat – we can’t wait to see where people take it next.”

“I doubt anyone else will enjoy such a meteoric rise to fame,” adds Matt Ash, marketing director, Atticus Clothing. “One minute, Renos and Lyndon were auditioning on the Atticus stand; the next they were playing on stage to over 9,600 people. It made the Arctic Monkeys and Lilly Allen look like proper slowcoaches.”

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is available for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 2 now.

Video Game Review: Buzz! The Hollywood Quiz

With the success of the movie board game Scene It? and it’s exclusive video game on Xbox 360, it was only a matter of time when we’d see a copycat game on another system. Well, thanks to Sony Computer Entertainment of America and it’s hit trivial “Buzz!” games we now have “Buzz! The Hollywood Quiz” for the Playstation 2.

When you first see the display box, the first thing you’ll notice is that it contains four of its own controllers. Each controller has a large red button, much like something you’d see on Family Feud. Bellow that, four small rectangular buttons. Each with it’s own color (blue,orange,green,and yellow). Obviously the goal was to give you a game show feel while playing. Luckily, each controller is connected together to one USB port-meaning you can also play this on the PS3.

When you boot up the game you’ll notice the host looks somewhat like a 3-D Philip from South Park. But less funny and more annoying. A lot like Ryan Seacrest actually. What’s even more upsetting is he’ll say the same thing over and over. Nothing will ever change. This can easily get REALLY annoying. The game in total has seven different rounds with seven different types of games. Some good, and some well…not so good. Here are a few examples:


Faster Finger: Each Contestant studies a photo of either an actor or a scene of a movie. The game will give you four multiple choice answers. The faster you choose the more points you receive. Very meh.

Source: SlashFilm

Gamers skate into action with - Skate It - on Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS

'Skate It' Delivers Popular Flickit Controls and Introduces Support for Wii Balance Board to Deliver Unique Skateboarding Experience

Electronic Arts today announced Skate It, a new game in the award-winning Skate franchise that taps into the heart and soul of being on a skateboard. Designed exclusively for the Wii and Nintendo DS systems, Skate It has Nintendo players riding with the skate pros, owning the best spots in San Vanelona and pulling off the sickest tricks using the popular FlickIt controls. Loaded with all-new gameplay features, Skate It breaks new ground by introducing innovative support for the Wii Balance board which gives players a fresh way to create their own signature skateboarding style.



“We knew it would be an exciting challenge to bring the soul and feel of skateboarding to the Wii and Nintendo DS,” said Scott Blackwood, Executive Producer - Skate franchise. “With fresh new designs and gameplay components built from scratch, we’ve been able to, once again, capture the true experience of skateboarding in a completely innovative way.”

Skate It unleashes the FlickIt revolution on to the Nintendo platforms, letting gamers use the Wii remote or the Nintendo DS stylus to string together their best tricks for the ultimate skate line. The Wii remote becomes a skateboard and reacts to gestures that mirror actual skate flips and moves. Players can also deepen this experience by planting their feet on the Wii Balance board. Skate It brings the hit Skate franchise to a new level of creative ingenuity and gameplay excellence.

Rare says "Gamers shouldn't judge Banjo-Kazooie based on SS"

George Kelion has said that these screenshots only show how pretty the game is, and that gamers shouldn't judge it based on them alone. “You can’t tell altogether that much from the screenshots other than the fact that it’s pretty,” Kelion said.

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