NHL 2K9 First Official NHL and NHLPA Hockey Video Game for Nintendo Wii

Exciting NHL hockey action pairs up with fun new features and Wii Remote controls

NHL 2K9, will be coming to the Wii console from Nintendo this fall. As the first and only officially licensed NHL and NHLPA video game for Wii, NHL 2K9 will offer fans the fun opportunity to play like the pros using the Wii Remote™ controller as a hockey stick, and enjoy playing hockey in a wholly unique and entertaining experience like never before.

“Nintendo is thrilled to have 2K Sports’ NHL 2K9 on the Wii platform this season,” said Steve Singer, VP of Licensing at Nintendo of America Inc. “This title has been highly anticipated by our Wii consumers who will now be able to use the Wii Remote to face-off, play hockey, and fire a slap shot in their living rooms.”

In celebration of NHL 2K9 for Wii, Nintendo’s most iconic video game character, Mario™, will be walking down the red carpet during the 2008 NHL Awards tonight at the Elgin Theatre, 6:15 p.m. ET in Toronto. Fans in attendance will also have the special opportunity to meet and greet Mario and have their picture taken with him.

“It’s our goal this year to bring the fun back to hockey video games,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “NHL 2K9 for Wii includes the full feature set as available on other platforms, and added Wii Remote controls and other exciting features specific for the Wii console will allow dedicated fans the opportunity to fully enjoy and embrace NHL hockey in a brand new experience.”

NHL 2K9, being developed by Visual Concepts, is not yet rated by the ESRB, and will be available this fall for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii console from Nintendo, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.

Basilisk Games announces Eschalon - Book II

Eschalon - Book II has entered full production and is expected to be released Q2 2009 for Windows, Macintosh and Linux-based computers.

The sequel to the 2007 acclaimed role-playing game Eschalon: Book I, Book II will continue the storyline from where it ended in the previous game and feature more than 60 gameplay enhancements.

"Basilisk Games is very excited to announce that we will be releasing Book II early next year. Classic, old-school computer role-playing is very much a viable market and we have been happy with the consumer response to Book I." commented Thomas Riegsecker, Lead Developer of the Eschalon series. "Book II will be an exciting step forward for the series."

No previous experience with Book I will be needed to enjoy Book II as the in-game narrative will guide unfamiliar players into the realm of Eschalon- a medieval fantasy world on the brink of war. The game will take players across multiple regions as they seek to further uncover the mystery surrounding their character's past. With an updated graphic engine, interface enhancements and gameplay improvements taken directly from fan suggestions, Book II will be an adventure no RPG enthusiast will want to miss!

About the Eschalon series:

Eschalon: Book II is the second game in a trilogy of RPGs designed to have a play style similar to classic RPGs of the 80's and 90's. With a focus on a single-player storyline, statistically driven character development and turn-based combat, Eschalon: Book II features a style of gameplay rarely seen anymore in commercial games.

Beyond Protocol - Fact Sheet

Beyond Protocol is an MMO RTS game that places you in a time where billions of Earth's exiles seek out the leadership of a few. You are placed in control of a group of colonists who believe that you can bring them the happiness their ancestors had on Earth. Your actions, leadership, and desire will bring forth changes sought by all who decide to step Beyond Protocol.

• Epic MMO Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game set on thousands of unique worlds in hundreds of star systems with each planet giving specific advantages and disadvantages to those who call it home.
  
• Lead your forces in planetary and space combat simultaneously and in real-time against thousands of other players.
  
  
  
• The first ever RTS that provides fully customizable units. You have the ability to design each component of every unit and facility giving you the ultimate power and flexibility to create your own strategy.
  
• Intense 3D graphics with player customizable features such as engine glow, beam color, clarity, and shield bloom provide cinematic video effects and scenery. With 3D planet terrains, planning for defensive and offensive positioning are required as you discover the terrain and how it can benefit your endeavors.
  
• Form alliances, join guilds and take part in the most dynamic and intricate political arena available in gaming. Employ your political skills to change the course and even the laws of the game through the galactic senate.
  
  
  
• Everything you do remains when you log off. Your empire continues to build, grow and battle even while offline in this truly persistent universe.
  
• Build a colony on your home world- allying with or destroying other players also claiming that world as home, launch endeavors to build space stations, explore your solar system, exploit and colonize other planets and other star systems.
  
• Gather mineral wealth for use in trades or technology design.
  
• Organize your forces and colonies so that control can be maintained even while offline through portable electronic devices and email.
  
• You choose your destiny! Are you to be a conquering emperor? A manipulative trade mogul seeking the highest prices for your wares? A diplomatic leader forming powerful alliances and influencing others to aid you in your goals? A treacherous leader of espionage seeking out and leveraging the secrets of other empires? The opportunities and options are limitless.
  
• You choose your depth of play! Through cooperative play, you and your friends can control a single empire and through aliasing, your friends can play your empire from their own account allowing for multiple players to control the actions of the empire simultaneously. Truly cooperative play in an MMO setting.
  

Unreal Tournament 3 out July 7th

Xbox 360 Version of Highly Anticipated and Award-Winning Franchise has New Features, Exclusive Content and Gears of War 2 Multiplayer Video.

Unreal Tournament 3, for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, is scheduled to be available on July 7, 2008, with several new features including split screen, five exclusive maps and two all-new characters, as well as all previously released downloadable content. Unreal Tournament 3, the award-winning first-person-shooter, has already shipped more than 1 million units for the PC and PLAYSTATION 3 systems.

In addition, the game will feature an exclusive video preview of Gears of War 2, the eagerly anticipated sequel to the 4.7-million-unit selling blockbuster third-person action game. The exclusive video content will include never-before-seen footage of the game's multiplayer modes featuring new maps, new modes, new weapons and new gameplay elements. The video is narrated by design director, Cliff Bleszinski, and producer, Rod Fergusson.



"Unreal Tournament 3 for the Xbox 360 will deliver fans the award-winning gameplay of UT3, complete with exciting exclusive content that will make it a must-have title for the Xbox 360" said Mona Hamilton, vice president of marketing, Midway Home Entertainment.

"We're very excited to be shipping Unreal Tournament 3 for Xbox 360," said Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games, Inc. "This is a great title and, with two-player split screen support and some very cool new content, Xbox 360 players should be thrilled with this fantastic version of the game."

About Unreal Tournament 3
Unreal Tournament 3, the world's premier PC first-person shooter, will make its debut on the Xbox 360. Unreal Tournament 3 unleashes the full power of Unreal Engine 3, taking graphics, gameplay and challenge to a whole new level. Players engage in intense battles with other human players online, or against Unreal artificial intelligence that sets the industry standard. With the most powerful futuristic weapons and vehicles available, this is FPS action at its best!

Kojima: MGS4 too big for 50 GB Blu-ray disc

t's not much of a shocker to learn the latest (and final) installment in the Metal Gear Solid series is a sizable one -- MGS games have a history of being big (and beautiful). However, a recent interview with series creator Hideo Kojima revealed a startling fact about MGS4

read more | digg story

MGS4 impressions - a movie's worth in four hours

We've played through the early part of Metal Gear Solid 4 and have some first thoughts about the length and frequency of the cut-scenes.

read more | digg story

Sit down with Metal Gear Solid 4's Hideo Kojima

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, the epic action-stealth game from famed designer Hideo Kojima is out today, concluding his more than 20-year directorial involvement in the series. I got a chance to sit down with Kojima and ask him about his popular franchise and what's up next for him.

Read More Here

Codemasters Raising Hell in Hunt for UK's Worst Boss

Win a PlayStation 3 and a copy of Overlord - Raising Hell by revealing your hilarious stories about terrible bosses

To celebrate the upcoming release of Overlord: Raising Hell on the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Codemasters is calling on the hardworking employees of Britain to lift the lid on their terrible boss – with one lucky person walking away with a PlayStation 3 and a copy of the game.

Overlord - Raising Hell, sees players take control of the all-powerful Overlord, a mysterious figure who commands a group of slavish Gremlin-like creatures who do anything for their big bad boss. They’re happy to savage sheep, throw themselves into the claws on enemies and even sacrifice their lives in a bid to carry out the desires of the Overlord.

But now Codemasters wants to find out if UK employees have been forced - just like Minions - to do the bidding of their mean manager and is asking them to anonymously submit their own stories and bizarre boss experiences. Codemasters will print the weirdest and funniest on www.codemasters.co.uk/worstboss and the author of the best tale wins a PlayStation 3 and a copy of Overlord: Raising Hell.

Submitting your story couldn’t be easier, just email worst.boss@codemasters.com and then wait to see if your awful experience makes it onto the website. All anecdotes will remain anonymous, so participants can be as frank as they like about their laughable leader.

Overlord - Raising Hell is available in Europe on June 20th

Classic Video Game Scenes Recreated in LEGO

Katamari, Metal Gear, even Duck Hunt! Lego - don't you just love it.

read more | digg story

Oregon Trail Video game now available for Mobile Cellphones

Mobile games developer Gameloft has released its updated version of The Oregon Trail. The game costs $4 (or more, depending on your carrier) and introduces several new gameplay elements to the elementary school classic.

read more | digg story