Still Life 2 trailer contest winners...

On December 3rd, Microïds, the producer of the Still Life series, and GameCo, the Still Life 2 developer, launched a Still Life 2 machinima contest to allow Still Life fans to design their trailer.

Over 120 participants from all over the world have entered the trailer competition.

On January 14th, the Microïds and GameCo jury members gathered to review all submitted creations and choose the best Still Life 2 trailer.

The jury members are pleased to award Laurent Dijoux (France) with the Still Life 2 Grand Prix. His name will appear in the Still Life 2 credits, along with the names of all the game creators and developers.

The jury, impressed by the overall quality of the trailers sent by the series’ fans, also awarded two finalists for the originality of their work: Gavin O’Brien (Ireland) and Aleksander Raczkowski (Germany).

The three trailers are already available on the Still Life series official website: www.stilllife-game.com

Catherine Peyrot, Still Life 2 Producer at Microïds, is thrilled: 'It was highly difficult to make our choice since the overall quality of the trailers we received was very impressive. We are proud to honor today the work of Laurent Dijoux, Gavin O’Brien and Aleksander Raczkowski'.

Nicolas Bonvalet, GameCo Studios Managing Director adds: “We were amazed by the commitment, the quality and originality of all the trailers we reviewed. We thank you all for your work and passion!”

Congratulations to all participants, and special bravo to the two finalists and the award winner!!

Natalie Brooks - Secrets of Treasure House mobile video game

The long-expected worldwide release of “Natalie Brooks - Secrets of Treasure House” has gone mobile.

Based on a casual PC hit by Alawar Entertainment, which combines two best-selling genres (“hidden object” and “quest”), the mobile game reproduces faithfully the plot of the PC version, preserving its dynamics and stunningly beautiful graphics.

“Natalie Brooks – Secrets of Treasure House” is a true interactive detective thriller. The development of the plot is arranged in a “detective story” style, keeping the player in suspense till the very last moment.

The game encourages a player to carry out an independent investigation and find out why the city officials want to get their claws into Natalie’s plush mansion. Each level brings new challenges, to meet which the player will have to become “jack-of-all-trades” skilled in safe breaking, mysterious Egyptian devices’ repairing and hidden items search. The tools of detective’s and secret agent’s trade are also required to puzzle and smoke out the criminals.

Mobile “Natalie Brooks – Secrets of Treasure House” features stunningly beautiful switched-on graphics, dozens of puzzles, 6 different locations (mansion, police station, museum, jewelry store, smuggler’s lair, banker’s office), reach PC game soundtrack, several mini-games offering unique challenges, different quests and missions at each level. Tutorial mode and main character’s diary are also available in the English version.

Both English and Russian versions of the game are now available for distribution.

Lord of the Rings - Conquest video game review

How could a game that lets you take control of an Ent and knock down swaths of hapless Uruk-hai with your massive branch-arms end up being so unimpressive?

Lord of the Rings: Conquest, an action game built around the legendary battles of Middle-earth depicted in J.R.R Tolkien's books, should have worked well. In Tolkien's stories, warriors with unique abilities combine their talents to win massive battles; Conquest developer Pandemic made a name for itself with the Star Wars Battlefront series, action games that featured squads of different character classes that combined their abilities to win massive battles. The perfect marriage!

But the honeymoon ends quickly. Conquest's 16-player online battles can be fun, but they get repetitive in short order. And the single-player mode, in which you can re-enact the big scenes from the movies and then play an alternate story in which the forces of Sauron win the day, is a mess.

Lord of the Rings: Conquest is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. We reviewed the PlayStation 3 version.
If you do buy Conquest, you'll probably want to start with the single-player campaign. It's brief -- it won't take you more than a few hours to blast through all 15 levels, although you can go in later at a higher difficulty level. Playing the solo mode is a good way to get acquainted with the game's four different character classes.

Full review on WIRED here...

Mirror's Edge download content on January 29th

The first batch of downloadable add-on content for DICE's Mirror's Edge finally has a release date, and, as promised in December, it's coming later this month.

The pack, which includes seven "all-new and totally redesigned Time Trial maps" crafted around a decidedly abstract theme, comes to the Xbox Live Marketplace, PlayStation Network and PC on January 29 for $10.

PlayStation 3 owners may remember last year's promise of a free, exclusive downloadable Mirror's Edge map that has since become a point of contention, with some sites reporting that the content secretly went multi platform.

We contacted EA for an official comment on the subject, and a representative from the publisher clearly stated that the downloadable extra is still slated to be a PlayStation 3 exclusive.

Sourec: WIRED blog

Resident Evil 5 Demo Premiers Exclusively on Xbox 360 Starting January 26

Xbox 360 gamers worldwide won’t have to wait until March 13, 2009 to get their hands on the highly-anticipated “Resident Evil 5.” The next installment of the landmark survival horror franchise from Capcom will take action to a new level with a two-level, playable demo available exclusively on Xbox 360 for one week beginning Monday, January 26.

In the demo, players will have a first glimpse of the fear they will never forget, as “Resident Evil 5” makes daylight just as terrifying as darkness. Additionally, a new exclusive high-definition trailer of the game, shown only at the past Tokyo Game Show in October of 2008, will be made available for download on the Xbox LIVE service on Friday, Jan. 16.

Fans will have the opportunity to experience “Resident Evil 5’s” revolutionary new features early, including two-player co-op with voice chat along with new characters, weapons and environments. The demo is set within two stages from the beginning of the game – Assembly Place and Shanty Town -- featuring plenty of co-operative action, shooting, hordes of bloodthirsty infected Majini enemies and a few puzzles to round out the action. The demo has three levels of co-op play: single-player with AI support, two-player split-screen on a single Xbox 360 and two-player across Xbox LIVE.

Xbox 360 gamers will also be first to take on the new enemies in battle, including an army of weapon-wielding infected Majini, the gigantic hooded Majini Executioner and even the dreaded Chainsaw Majini. Players can also choose between the classic “Resident Evil”-style controls or switch to the newer “Action” controls inspired by games like “Gears of War 2” and “Halo 3.”

In this hotly anticipated new title coming on March 13, Chris Redfield returns as the “Resident Evil” hero and heads to Africa where the latest bioterrorism threat is literally transforming the people and animals of the city into mindless, maddened creatures. Joining forces with a new partner, Sheva Alomar, the two must work together to discover the truth behind this evil plot. Utilizing the new co-op mode, players will be able to assume control of either Chris or Sheva and experience “Resident Evil” in new ways.

Penumbra Collection set to be released on PC

Paradox Interactive are proud to announce that February 2009 is a date for fans of innovative and terrifying horror games everywhere to be excited about, as the Penumbra Collection is set to be released on PC.

Comprising of the full games Penumbra: Overture and Penumbra: Black Plague along with the recent expansion Requiem, all developed by the acclaimed two man development team at Frictional Games, Penumbra Collection is the complete story of Philip Buchanan and his journey through terror and madness!

But let us go back to where the Penumbra tale began...

Penumbra Overture was originally released in March 2007, with critics hailing not only its fantastic storyline and sense of atmosphere, but also its innovative control scheme. Players interacted with the game world in a physically realistic manner - grabbing and moving objects, opening doors, climbing ladders, examining items - unprecedented in a horror title and therefore adding greatly to the immersion and the tension.

Penumbra Overture introduced players to Philip Buchanan who, following his mother’s death, receives a letter from his supposedly dead father, a man who left before he was even born, his reasons for doing so a mystery leaving Philip with many unanswered questions. The letter and those questions lead Philip to the arctic wastes of Greenland, to a location mentioned in his father’s ambiguous note and the beginning of our adventure as he begins to uncover disturbing facts about his past that not only affect himself, but all of mankind.

Commenting on the process of making Penumbra: Overture, Thomas Grip, Lead Programmer and Co-Founder at Frictional Games said, “Overture was the first Penumbra game and where it all began. In the game we aimed at giving the player a sense of isolation, claustrophobic horror and making it a desperate fight for survival. Overture binds together a lot of innovative ideas in an intense gaming environment.”

IGN commented that Penumbra: Overture had “...great, moments, disturbing imagery...” on the way to scoring it 7/10, with Gamespot adding that it was “...a great spookfest” in their 7.8/10 review. An 8/10 review score from Worth Playing was summed up by them describing the game as an “...original title that sets out with a specific goal and accomplishes it well.”

Gears of War 2 Xbox Live Co-Op Night

Co-Optimus.com , the web's prime source for breaking co-op gaming news and information, proudly welcomes members of Gears of War 2's development team at Epic Games to join this month's Xbox Live Co-Op Night.

This interactive gaming event is part of Co-Optimus.com's monthly co-op events only on Xbox Live . The crew from Co-Optimus will be playing the campaign in two player co-op mode as well as horde mode in five player co-op. As the Locust Horde approaches, Epic Games' team will dive in to help take them down.

Co-Optimus.com will be broadcasting the event live all night, which begins at 7:30PM EST on January 15th, via the Event page. To join in on the action use the game's built in match making tools or look for the following gamertags.

EpicDev1 (Epic)
EpicDev2 (Epic)
EpicDev3 (Epic)
BAPenguin (Co-Optimus)
pherbear (Co-Optimus)
DjinniMan (Co-Optimus)
co optimus (Co-Optimus)

This special event is a continuation of the monthly Xbox Live evenings presented by Co-Optimus.com. For more information, please visit the official event page on Co-Optimus . For more information on Xbox Live Co-Op Nights please visit the Xbox Community Page  on Xbox.com and for more information on Gears of War 2, visit the official homepage.

Dynasty Warriors - Gundam 2 video game returns with robots the size of mountains

Dynasty Warriors - Gundam 2 returns with robots the size of mountains and battles to make your eyes water.

European release of DYNASTY WARRIORS - GUNDAM 2 for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system will be on March 27, 2009.

With the Gundam phenomenon once again taking the gaming and anime worlds by storm in Japan this is the chance for European gamers to discover what all the fuss is about. A chance to take control of robots the size of tower blocks. A chance to unleash enough firepower to level entire cities. A chance to wade into battle against hundreds of armed to the teeth Mobile Suits. A chance to indulge in some of the most elaborate combos and incredible attack animations yet to feature in a Warriors game. And a chance to light up their TV screens with a spectacular feast of pyrotechnic mayhem as armies of giant robots clash in massed battles on a stupendous scale.



About DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM 2

DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM 2 combines the devastating power of the Mobile Suit, the rich legacy of the GUNDAM universe and the furious Tactical Action game play of the DYNASTY WARRIORS series. The game will thrust players into incredible battles against legions of enemy Mobile Suits on distant planetary surfaces and in the far reaches of outer space. For the first time, DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM 2 will let players engage in melee battles against colossal enemies such as the Psycho Gundam. The massive Psycho Gundam can quickly reconfigure their bodies into titanic mobile fortresses which can move with remarkable speed. However, highly-trained pilots can utilize their own Mobile Suit’s speed, agility, and of course firepower to defeat these deadly juggernauts.

DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM 2 will also include new stories featuring mecha from the latest Gundam anime, plus mecha from Char’s Counter Attack and more. With mecha parts collected throughout the course of the game, players will be able to adapt a Mobile Suit which can be piloted into combat.

Developed by KOEI’s award-winning Omega Force team, DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM 2 will also include online versus play.

Nintendo DS - My Pet Shop out February 27th

Square Enix, the publisher of Square Enix interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces the forthcoming TAITO game My Pet Shop, will be available exclusively for the Nintendo DS system from 27th February 2009, across all PAL territories.

My Pet Shop is the first game from Square Enix to have its primary audiences rooted in the pre-teens market, and also the company’s first game to heavily target girl gamers.

In My Pet Shop, players will set off on the animal adventure of a lifetime as they work to help run the best pet shop that Green Town has ever seen. With over 40 different animals, players will be able to find and care for adorable and sometimes unusual pets including dogs, cats, pigs, pandas and bears – all set in a beautifully crafted colourful world.

While My Pet Shop is genres away from the likes of traditional Square Enix releases such as FINAL FANTASY and DRAGON QUEST, the game is beautifully crafted by some of the biggest names in Japanese development, and in addition to the popular care and nurture gameplay seen in other games of this genre, My Pet Shop will also offer the player a chance to engage in a captivating storyline.

About My Pet Shop

Story

Welcome to the beautiful world of Green Town and to your very own pet shop. Following your move from the metropolis of Gold City, you’re now getting settled in your new home in Green Town, as the kid of the newly opened pet shop.

Your adventure begins on your first day in the shop, helping your mum to find pets for the residents of the town, and caring for the animals you find. The more you care for and play with the pets, the more attached to you they become, and as you continue to help out in the shop, you’ll be rewarded with money allowing you to buy accessories to make your pets the cutest in the whole town! Teach them tricks, look after them well, and you’ll soon be on your way to winning the town’s cute pet photo contest.

The people of Green Town will welcome you with open arms as you work to create the best pet shop ever!

Features

- Embark on the pet shop adventure of a lifetime: Where the player will become an important part of the community as they help to manage their very own pet shop

- Meet the cutest characters in a town where everyone loves to live: the familiar character styles of the inhabitants of Green Town, and the vibrant environments, shops and homes, create a place to stay, play and interact for hours

- Collect and care for loads of loveable and unusual pets: My Pet Shop offers over 40 types of animals with over 120 different variations available to find and nurture

- Work hard and get rewarded: The more the player works in the shop and cares for their pets, the more money they’ll receive to buy some of the 100+ fashion accessories available for their pets

- Enter pet contests and win prizes: Players get to showcase their hard work – the tricks they’ve taught pets and the fashion accessories they’ve bought – by taking part in the town’s photo and fitness contests

- Share your pets with mates using the DS Wireless Connection

Feels the Rhythm with We Rock - Drum King for Nintendo Wii

We Rock: Drum King, a brand new rhythm-action game for Nintendo Wii, which sees you becoming the drummer in a band that’s on the road to global stardom. It’s due to rock out across Europe in April 2009.

Unlike many rhythm games, to become a music legend in We Rock: Drum King you only require two Wii Remotes, rather than having to clutter your living room with potentially expensive instruments. The remotes become your virtual drumsticks as you beat your way through 30 awesome tunes, including Bloc Party’s Banquet and Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf.

You start on the road to fame by creating your drummer and then joining a band, before performing in a range of increasingly spectacular venues – until you’re crowned the greatest rock band in the world.

Developed exclusively for the Nintendo Wii by DEL, We Rock: Drum King takes full advantage of the innovative motion-sensing capabilities of the console. The game is played by moving the remotes as if you’re ‘air drumming’. Different drums – including snare, toms, hi-hat and bass – are simulated by waving the Wii Remotes while pressing a different button.






Wannabe drummers know exactly when and what drum to hit thanks to coloured indicators that scroll down the screen in time to the tune. The difficulty can be scaled too, so that beginners can pick-up-and-rock-out, whereas experienced beat masters can crank up the challenge to 11.

We Rock: Drum King will be released exclusively for Nintendo Wii in Europe in April 2009.

FEATURES:

• Wide range of drumming styles/music
  
• Ready to rock straight from the box – no need for costly peripherals
  
• Create your own avatar before hitting the road
  
• Single and multiplayer modes
  
• 30 awesome tracks from well known artists
  
• Difficulty scaled so beginners have fun but experts face a real rock challenge