Let’s get this out of the way now. Yes, Lips is a shameless rip-off of Sony’s massively-successful SingStar franchise. From intent to mechanics, the mission brief for the iNiS team was never “make an original, inspiring music title for the Xbox 360”. It was “do SingStar, but on the Xbox 360”. And that’s exactly how we’re going to assess the game.
So, does it “do” SingStar on the 360? Or even outdo SingStar on the 360?
Rock Band is set to give fans a taste of country music for the first time with the addition of the “Going Country” 5-pack to the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content. The impressive lineup of renowned country artists includes Grammy Award winner Brad Paisley with “Mud on the Tires,” the honky- tonk country classic duo Brooks & Dunn with “Hillbilly Deluxe,” and all-American trio Dixie Chicks with “Sin Wagon.”
Rock Band country lovers can also look forward to Dierks Bentley’s No1 single “Free & Easy (Down the Road I Go)” and Miranda Lambert’s standout single “Gunpowder & Lead.”
Each track will be available starting December 16, 2008, for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and December 18, 2008, for PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. Each individual track will be available for $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points) and $8.49 (680 Microsoft Points) for the 5-pack.
Release Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 (Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360) Thursday, December 18, 2008 (PlayStation Store)
Tracks:
Brad Paisley “Mud on the Tires”
Brooks & Dunn “Hillbilly Deluxe”
Dierks Bentley “Free & Easy (Down the Road I Go)”
Dixie Chicks “Sin Wagon”
Miranda Lambert “Gunpowder & Lead”
Price: $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track $8.49 (680 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for the 5-pack
HeroCraft's upcoming game “Postal Babes” picked up the award for Best Mobile Game at the Russian Mobile VAS Awards which took place during the fifth annual Mobile VAS Conference in St. Petersburg.
“We are very pleased to win this award and hope that it helps our mobile games gain more worldwide recognition” commented Pavel Prokonich, CEO of HeroCraft, “our company has invested a great deal of effort and resources into the development of this extension of the infamous Postal brand and I'm proud that the game has picked up this award in advance of its full release scheduled for January 2009.”
Tank simulation fans outside of these territories, do not worry! For Steel Fury: Kharkov 1942 has also become available at direct download sites as well as at the Online Lighthouse Interactive European Shops. German and French releases are planned for Q1-2009.
Do not wait any longer and plunge yourself into the monstrous roars of tanks and blaring sounds of war in the realistic tank simulation world of Steel Fury: Kharkov 1942, recreated from archives and photo references of the real-life events that took place during the World War II from May 12 to 28 in 1942. GAME SUMMARY
Steel Fury: Kharkov 1942 is based on real-life events that took place from May 12 to 28, 1942, which engaged the Red Army in the fight of their lives. During a vicious German counterattack that began on May 17, 1942, three Soviet Armies were surrounded and were forced to fight in what has become known as the “meat grinder." Through the monstrous roar of tanks and military vehicles, and the blaring sounds of war, players will experience bitterness at the loss of their comrades during battle and elation when they are victorious.
FEATURES
Historical Authenticity: Missions are based on true historical events recreated from archives and photo references, including the interiors and exteriors of vehicles and tactical markings. The player has access to vast battlefields without obstructions from impenetrable forests or other obstacles, allowing them to choose any path available to achieve victory!
Fear and Fury Filled Missions: Throughout 30 playable missions in three unique single-player campaigns, experience large scale battles with numerous active vehicles.
Vehicles: Interact with and command all units involved in the advance against the enemy, including: more than 40 different realistically modelled vehicles, with three playable tanks: T-34/76 mod. 1941, Mk.II ‘Matilda’ III, and the Pz. IV Ausf. F2.
Take Full Control: In first and third person views, assume crew positions for Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver, and Hull Gunner.
Realistic Game Physics: The advanced game engine allows for precise calculation of ballistics and collisions models. Objects can be destroyed and the terrain is deformable. Both player and AI controlled vehicles are subject to realistic physics.
Realistic Environments: The game engine supports dynamic lighting, featuring night-time missions and different weather conditions. The engine's particle system allows for realistic smoke and water effects, as well as debris from explosions.
Damage Model: Everything in the path of a tank-round can be destroyed. Vehicles can damage buildings and knock down trees. Due to the advanced game engine, impacting shells create craters and trenches take damage when tanks run over them, deforming the terrain.
Difficulty Levels: Players can adjust the level of complexity the game offers. Missions gradually raise the difficulty level by introducing more vehicles, troops, and harder to achieve mission goals. Thanks to training missions, the player can easily learn how to control their tank and supporting AI troops from all crew positions.
Editors and Utilities: Players have the ability to create custom missions and make modifications. Easy-to-use editors make it possible to add new vehicles and weapons to the game.
Let your imagination design the best Still Life 2 trailer!
Before the release of Still Life 2, Microïds and GameCo launch a machinima contest. The producer of the Still Life series and the Still Life 2 developer allow Still Life fans to design a 30 seconds trailer thanks to exclusive elements from the game under development at GameCo studios.
You will then be given access to exclusive Still Life 2 material: animations, ingame videos, musics, screenshots… You will simply have to post your work* before January 10, 2009.
The winner will be announced on January 15 by a jury composed of Microïds and GameCo representatives, and his/her trailer will be posted on the official website: www.stilllife-game.com.
The winner’s name will furthermore be added to the game credits.
*The trailer needs to be 45 seconds maximum. It will not exceed 30Mb. Recommended formats are .MOV, AVI, MPEG4 or WMV. Do not forget that PCs and Mac usually have pre-installed softwares for video creation (Windows Movie Maker for PCs, Imovie for Mac).
A completely new SEGA experience for all types of gaming and social networking fans. PlaySEGA is based at www.PlaySEGA.com and is a mini web game portal with a selection of arcade, word, card, puzzle, quiz, Sonic and sports titles, which are available now and completely FREE to all PC and Mac users.
PlaySEGA has an impressive assortment of titles available on the site including Brain Assist, which was originally released for the Nintendo DS, and the successful mobile title, Sonic at the Olympic Games. Brand new SEGA games that have been created exclusively for PlaySEGA are also available such as Ice Shuffle, Hollywood Adventure Quiz and Aquatic Word Burst. In addition, a selection of all-new Guest Games will soon be unveiled, all entirely FREE to each PlaySEGA user.
Every game has a unique integrated system to calculate players’ highest scores, giving player’s the ability to view leader board achievements, and PlaySEGA Rings earned during each gaming session. PlaySEGA Rings are the site’s currency; the more games you play and the longer you play, the more PlaySEGA Rings you win – it’s as simple as that!
Users can use Rings to customise their site and create an Escape Area, which is essentially their very own profile page. A wide range of Escape Areas are available to purchase and can be anything from a New York apartment, Swiss chalet or Caribbean villa, to a haunted house! Consumers can also purchase luxury items using their PlaySEGA Rings and decorate their Escape Areas with items including; furniture, TVs, lights, flooring and much more. Customers can invite friends to visit their decorated Escape Areas, as well as view their favourite PlaySEGA games, highest scores, and achievements earned.
SEGA is also proud to announce a PlaySEGA VIP (Very Important Player) area of the site. This new area is coming soon and for a small charge users will be able to access and play dozens more web games, including newly acquired titles specifically created for PlaySEGA, along with fan favorites from the respected SEGA Mega Drive years. These titles include the genuine SEGA classics we all know and love: Columns, Puyo Pop, Chu Chu Rocket, Sonic The Hedgehog and Super Monkey Ball Tip n’ Tilt among others.
“What started off as a small project within the SEGA Network Group has now caught the imagination of the entire company,” explains Nick Pili, Network Business Director, SEGA of Europe. “I have suggestions for new games filling up my in-box, from the CEO, to staff I’ve never even met over in our Japanese, European and US offices.”
“SEGA fans and new gamers alike can now come together in one place and enjoy some of our most exciting vintage and new titles,” continues Pili. “There was a story out there recently that we have a locked vault full of retro SEGA classics in Japan. Well, it’s true – and we’ve been given full access to a lot of the properties in it.”
PlaySEGA launches today and is an evolving site that will continue to keep user’s interests piqued by the many new games, social network and community elements available in the near future. To sign up and enjoy everything PlaySEGA has to offer, go to www.PlaySEGA.com .
The release of a major update for the grand strategy game Commander - Napoleon at War. The comprehensive update brings the game to version 1.06 and comes with a variety of changes including some balance tweaks on unit pricing, and the economic strength of some countries. In addition, the update comes with several significant AI enhancements like an increase in AI British naval prowess, greater Russian AI effectiveness in battling France, and more.
David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said “Slitherine Strategies and Firepower Entertainment are working hard to keep enhancing the new Napoleonic addition to the acclaimed Commander engine. The latest balance changes and AI enhancements should allow Commander – Napoleon at War to steal a march on more than a few players.”
Commander - Napoleon at War is the newest game in the Commander series, taking the acclaimed design introduced in Commander - Europe at War to the next level. Building on the international success of its predecessor, Commander - Napoleon at War brings the same simple and intuitive gameplay mechanics to the Napoleonic era, creating a different and even more compelling gaming experience. Use the combined arms of infantry, cavalry and artillery combined with the innovations and strategies of the Napoleonic wars to secure victory.
Play on a beautifully rendered map of Napoleonic Europe, where terrain and weather play a large role and mud and snow may bog down your army at a crucial time. Logistics are also modeled, with supply lines, resources and sieges and the use of privateers and naval superiority to stifle trade routes. Players have twelve unit types to choose from as well as fifteen research paths, and eight immersive historical campaigns from 1805 through 1815!
Can Napoleon’s ambition be denied or will the flag of the Empire of France fly throughout the continent? It is up to you to write the story of the Napoleonic Wars in Commander - Napoleon at War!
MTV Games and Harmonix Give Rock Band Fans Access to 13 of the Most Popular No Doubt Tracks Including "Just a Girl," "Bathwater," "Spiderwebs" and More!
the rock-pop pioneers of No Doubt will bring 13 tracks to the Rock Band music catalog of downloadable content expanding the Rock Band library to include more than 500 songs!
No Doubt’s: ‘The Singles 1992-2003’ pack will include 13 master tracks from the band’s 2003 album The Singles 1992-2003, which featured a compilation of hits from No Doubt’s previous albums Tragic Kingdom, Return of Saturn, and Rock Steady. The album sold more than 2.2 million copies in the United States alone. The No Doubt tracks included in the pack are listed below. Pricing will be $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points) per track or $19.99 (1600 Microsoft Points) for the pack. The tracks will be available for download starting December 9, 2008, for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and December 11, 2008, for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.
1. "Just a Girl" 2. "It’s My Life" 3. "Hey Baby" 4. "Bathwater” 5. "Sunday Morning" 6. "Hella Good" 7. "Underneath It All" 8. "Excuse Me Mr.” 9. "Running" 10. "Spiderwebs” 11. "Simple Kind of Life” 12. “Don’t Speak” 13. “Ex-Girlfriend”
“Thanks to all at Harmonix and MTV Games, who, along with our artist, management, label and publishing partners, put an incredible amount of work into achieving this milestone,” stated Paul DeGooyer, Senior Vice President of Electronic Games and Music for MTV. “Now there can be ‘No Doubt’ that the Rock Band music platform offers the deepest and most diverse collection of songs available to gamers and music fans alike.”
Rock Band continues to satisfy music fans’ and gamers' voracious appetite for rock with more than 28 million paid downloads since its launch on November 20, 2007. The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library. See the attached document for a list of the more than 500 songs included in the Rock Band music catalog. To view a complete list of tracks go to www.rockband.com/music
Rock Band and Rock Band 2 allow online play and features that expand the boundaries of music gaming. Rock Band downloadable content is playable and integrated into setlists in all game modes. In order to play downloadable content for head-to-head matches or multiplayer online, all players must own the same downloadable track. Downloadable content for Xbox 360 is available for purchase via Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360 using Microsoft Points and is downloaded directly to the hard drive of Xbox 360. Downloadable content for the PLAYSTATION 3 system's version of Rock Band is available for purchase on the PlayStation Store through the free PlayStation Network and is downloaded directly to PLAYSTATION 3 system's built in hard drive.
Rock Band 2 for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system is now available nationwide and supports all previously downloaded content. The groundbreaking music platform that forever changed the face of music video games is committed to taking gaming to the next level with the evolution of the franchise. Rock Band 2 will be available for additional platforms later this year.
Elementally-Aligned Skills and Resistances Bring a New Twist to the Fantasy MMORPG
Burda:ic, today released a major update for the free-to-play, maritime MMORPG Florensia. The update includes a number of smaller changes, from land quest balancing to slight modifications to the user interface, but the biggest addition comes in the form of elemental resistances and attributes. These additions permeate the structure of the entire game so players both new and old will find the fantasy world of Florensia an exciting and dangerous place to adventure.
Each skill in the game has been assigned an elemental aspect like Fire, Ice, or Holy. In addition, monsters and characters now carry resistances to the various elements. Thus, players in Florensia should be wary in choosing their foes, as they might find they just aren’t doing as much damage as expected. Parties no longer simply mean strength in numbers; they mean a wider range of damage across the elemental spectrum.
Of course, these new skills aren’t limited to the players. Four of Florensia’s major bosses have discovered elemental abilities of their own, making them all the more dangerous for those who would challenge them. Be especially cautious if your travels bring you face-to-face with Lanoir, Draug Brenin, Vampire Lord Robinson, or Serbetus, as their newfound powers may spell your doom.
Florensia is a free-to-play, maritime MMORPG that blends vibrant, colorful graphics with classically accessible gameplay. Choosing one of four starting classes, from the sword-wielding Mercenary to the spell casting Noble, players will do battle with a huge variety of weapons and magical abilities as they explore expansive, underground dungeons and sail uncharted seas. Thousands of players have already signed up and headed out in search of adventure, and there has never a better time to join them in the wild and wonderful world of Florensia.
Daedalic Entertainment secured two awards at the 2008 German Game Developers Awards with adventure hit Edna & Harvey: The Breakout. The off-beat cartoon adventure game was able to convince both the jury, who awarded the price as Best Youth Game 2008, as well as the public, who voted Edna & Harvey Best Adventure Game 2008. With two additional nominations in the categories Best Game and Best Story / Game World, Edna & Harvey was one of the nights biggest winners, next to contenders Crysis, Drakensang and Sacred 2.
We are very thankful and proud to receive these awards. We feel that this confirms that our chosen direction and our focus on great storytelling and unique game worlds are right. At the same time, we feel a responsibility to continue to develop great games in the future, commented a jubilant Carsten Fichtelmann, Managing Director at Daedalic Entertainment.
The German Game Developers Awards are awarded every December in Essen, Germany, to outstanding computer and video games from German developers released in the last 12 months. The jury is made up of renowned experts from all parts of the industry: developers, publishers, service providers as well as press.
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout Edna & Harvey: The Breakout is a point & click adventure game in the vein of the genres classics. Backgrounds and characters are completely 2D and drawn by hand by a real person in the games unique cartoon style. The games characters range from odd to genuinely crazy twisted humor guaranteed! Thanks to challenging puzzles, extensive dialogues and more than 120 screens, gamers can look forward to an extraordinarily long gameplay experience. Edna & Harvey is the surprise adventure hit of the year, garnering rave reviews and an 84.5% average rating upon release in Germany.
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Rock Band is set to give fans a taste of country music for the first time with the addition of the “Going Country” 5-pack to the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content. The impressive lineup of renowned country artists includes Grammy Award winner Brad Paisley with “Mud on the Tires,” the honky- tonk country classic duo Brooks & Dunn with “Hillbilly Deluxe,” and all-American trio Dixie Chicks with “Sin Wagon.”![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v3XFoldmWeOsTCni1R8bUI8tvnVf06OCxutZN_77J1JUOxZfDEbY1HqoynH8k6ZjlSeT4WrqdTSYkfLrr3WD517Cz1z6roM3AOwPZ80AXrMPj4khVjytyZIe4U_g_cQxHZHUbcxaeqa62Txz22Bo6e=s0-d)
HeroCraft's upcoming game “Postal Babes” picked up the award for Best Mobile Game at the Russian Mobile VAS Awards which took place during the fifth annual Mobile VAS Conference in St. Petersburg.![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vkMBJRFzwxXByz7ksod4ECoxQq3cS8rwuM691Jrdk-gwasmwXA6zMhfbh3fazrH2H-DvZxRHHXAQ1WYZ5o4T1CqvDOyhD2eKplS7NeiIGJlO-qb0g62Q9S-sYvE0EmN7KecjEI4xHl1GPWJGasBuE=s0-d)
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Each skill in the game has been assigned an elemental aspect like Fire, Ice, or Holy. In addition, monsters and characters now carry resistances to the various elements. Thus, players in Florensia should be wary in choosing their foes, as they might find they just aren’t doing as much damage as expected. Parties no longer simply mean strength in numbers; they mean a wider range of damage across the elemental spectrum.
Of course, these new skills aren’t limited to the players. Four of Florensia’s major bosses have discovered elemental abilities of their own, making them all the more dangerous for those who would challenge them. Be especially cautious if your travels bring you face-to-face with Lanoir, Draug Brenin, Vampire Lord Robinson, or Serbetus, as their newfound powers may spell your doom.![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ugLelsHOUNwVdgywBPSnGwjwKwGpVrCKCWQLXpwPf9DNEC-LiCpOc11jM9xOvVC8L9UNVTWRwEYLfU8hBiUy3kfFt7REsRu4SEYZNrE_QlIOQh_764fSkP4BbMDri5NA2eLbnZ1RBhb5mt-jMxcLlC=s0-d)
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