Littlest Pet Shop online video game

EA launch an online entertainment and community destination for girls based on the globally popular LITTLEST PET SHOP brand in 2009. The Web-based LITTLEST PET SHOP ONLINE experience will allow girls to play and customise their favorite pets, connect with lots of friends, and participate in online games, activities and events.

“The creation of a LITTLEST PET SHOP virtual world marks the first major online collaboration designed for girls between EA and Hasbro that masterfully blends the leadership in imagination and innovation that each company brings from their respective industry,” said Chip Lange, General Manager and Vice President of EA Hasbro. “Pre-teen girls spend an enormous amount of time online and are actively seeking something that they can connect and have fun with in a meaningful way. LITTLEST PET SHOP ONLINE will become the safe destination where girls go to explore and interact with their virtual LITTLEST PET SHOP collections and friends.”

EA released five LITTLEST PET SHOP video games in 2008 on the Wii, PC and Nintendo DS platforms and sold 2.8 million copies worldwide. In the holiday quarter, LITTLEST PET SHOP was a top-five title on the Nintendo DS in Europe and North America, based on NPD data. A sixth game, LITTLEST PET SHOP Spring for the Nintendo DS, is due to hit retail shelves in March 2009.

“LITTLEST PET SHOP is the ‘must have’ property among tween girls worldwide,” said Mark Blecher, General Manager of Digital Gaming and Media at Hasbro. “Building on its success of creating LITTLEST PET SHOP digital experiences that were embraced by legions of fans, EA is once again set to re-invent the LITTLEST PET SHOP play experience, but on a much larger scale – the Internet. Millions of girls globally will now have a place where they can come together to connect, collect and share in LITTLEST PET SHOP fun.”

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper - The Hunt Continues in Several New video game Images.

New images from Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper, the upcoming adventure/detective title for PC. In these new screens, the famous English detective is accompanied by the Dr. Watson as they look for clues in the Whithechapel district, which is infamous for being the hunting ground for one of the most atrocious serial killers in history: Jack the Ripper. These new images confirm the oppressive atmosphere of this new adventure, which will be the most frightening episode of the Sherlock Holmes series.

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper allows you to play as the greatest detective of all in the London of 1888. A series of particularly horrible murders creates a real psychosis throughout the country. Atrociously mutilated prostitutes' bodies are found by the police without them being able to find a serious lead. Sherlock Holmes starts looking for clues in the dark and sinister alleys of Whitechapel in order to follow the macabre trail of the one the press now calls Jack the Ripper. During an adventure full of twists, Sherlock Holmes will try to bring out the true identity and the motives of the one who hides behind this scary alias.






The Sherlock Holmes series is known as one of the best franchises in adventure games and is very popular with around 1.5 million copies sold worldwide. Now, Sherlock Holmes is back with a game that will give a new dimension to the series. Indeed, Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper will offer players two different views that are accessible at any time: a third person view in the purest style used in point & click adventure games, as well as a first person view. The player will be free to play in one or the other modes or even combine them for greater immersion into this terrifying adventure. Another novelty: the player will also find an original crime scene reconstitution system that will allow him to test his theories during his progress in the investigation to follow the bloody trail of the terrifying serial killer.

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper will be released for DVD ROM PC in May of 2009.

Announcing ScribBall 2 - Redrawn new Mac physics video game

Howling Moon Software releases ScribBall 2: Redrawn, the sequel to their hit physics puzzle game!

ScribBall 2 greatly eclipses the original ScribBall, while still keeping the addictive and easy to learn gameplay of the original. Dozens of new features have been added:

• Featuring themes such as: Watercolor, 8-bit, Monet, Da Vinci, Crayon, and more!
  
• Also featuring guest webcomic artists like Tyler Hutchison, Nedroid and Eric Feurstein.
  
• More special effects, more flair, more color!
  
• Color blind friendly mode
  
• Improved performance on older machines
  
• Tracking of dozens of play statistics - see how many balls you've popped
  
• More badges- and they're tracked with your high scores
  
• New high quality sounds, re-recorded and remastered
  
• High resolution graphics look great in HD - see the brush strokes in Monet mode!
  
• Realistic physics as balls roll and tumble, using the Chipmunk Physics Library.
  

Driven by a simple point-and-click interface, ScribBall is easy to learn. When a group of four colored balls touch, they will pop and an avalanche of new balls will tumble in to take their place. Quickly and strategically tap out a few balls to set up the next match even before they settle into place. If gamers are swift enough, they'll add to an ever growing combo. Injection mode puts a new spin on the gameplay, where you add new balls to make matches.

"ScribBall 2 blows the original out of the water. We've added a lot of new fantastic graphics, and each different theme has a unique feel to it. We've expanded beautifully from the original hand drawn look," cites Andy Korth. "The new gameplay modes add a lot of new fun and playability, too."

If you enjoyed games like Bejeweled, Tetris, Frozen Bubble, or Snood, you'll love ScribBall 2!

Pricing and Availability: ScribBall 2 is available immediately on the Howling Moon Software website and is currently priced at $19.95.

Caster Blasts Into PC Gaming download the demo here!

Elecorn's high intensity action game released for PC on Archive Games.

Watch the trailer on my YouTube channel here... please subscribe

Caster was released today on the Archive Games distribution platform for Windows. The Flanx have taken over the world of Middon, and it's up to you to save it! As a new recruit, you'll level up your character with new attacks and abilities that will help you fight the Flanx - and you will quickly become a devastating force to be reckoned with!

With its beautiful effects and real time terrain deformation, Caster gives players a sense of power over their environment. Caster features a pulse pounding soundtrack, perfectly fit for the intense 3rd person action shooter experience.

Caster is available for only $9.99 on Archive Games, and a full demo is available to play. For more information about Caster, or to download the demo, please visit http://ArchiveGames.net/game.php?gameID=caster

Free music from The Path video game

Tale of Tales releases free music track by Jarboe

The sound design of upcoming horror game The Path is at least as peculiar as any other element. There are hardly any sound effects in the game. Instead, the entire experience is scored with a continuous musical soundtrack. This music changes in response to the player's actions and position, making every musical moment in the game unique. The free song that is released today, is therefore only an approximation of the experience of the music in the game. A distillation of its perfume. Like a blossom picked from a tree.

"Safe Song" is currently playing here...


"We wanted to capture some of the eeriness of silent films that are accompanied by music but lack sound effects. While at the same time playing with the emergent qualities of the rest of the game's design.

Most things in The Path have a certain level of autonomy that is beyond the control of us, designers, and even of the players. These elements live a life of their own. The music is no exception. While based on traditional melodies and rhythms, the many tracks that the music consists of are continuously mixed in new and surprising ways."

Goth rock icon Jarboe was chosen to compose the music for The Path from the very beginning of the project. In fact, her music has been a very influential guide for the design of the game. Jarboe's combination of childlike innocence and dark horror is the perfect expression of the feelings in the fairy tales that the Path is based upon.

http://www.thelivingjarboe.com

The music that Jarboe created was processed and arranged by sound designer and musician Kris Force as to make it suitable for realtime in-game mixing. Miss Force has a background in both game audio (The Sims) and music (Amber Asylum) and has collaborated with Jarboe on many occasions. She also created the acclaimed soundscape for Tale of Tales'
IGF 2009 finalist The Graveyard.

The Path is a short horror game inspired by Little Red Ridinghood. It features six sisters who are sent to their grandmother's with the clear instruction to stay on the path. Because the forest is dangerous. People say there are wolves!...

The game will be released soon via several digital platforms.
The Path is created by Auriea Harvey & Michaël Samyn with the aid of freelancers Laura Raines Smith (animation), Hans Zantman (technical artist), Marian Bantjes (typography) and of course Jarboe (music) and Kris Force (sound).

Tale of Tales is an independent game development studio located in Belgium and founded by Auriea Harvey & Michaël Samyn. Previous works include social screensaver The Endless Forest and single player vignette The Graveyard, selected for Innovation in the 2009 Independent Games Festival. A demo of The Path was a finalist in the 2008 IGF.
Tale of Tales focuses on the creation of artistic and emotionally rich games. Harvey and Samyn consider the non-linear medium to be suitable for all sorts of interactive experiences. The Path is their largest project to date.

Previous Path post on gamezplay.org here...

Clueless the video game for PC download

Clueless, the game based on the classic 1995 Paramount Pictures film of the same name, is now available for PC download at http://www.legacygames.com.

Clueless mixes guys, crushes, friends, school and, of course, clothing, into one fabulous fashion game where time management, coordination, and style are essential for success.

Clueless welcomes the player to Beverly Hills where nothing is better than wearing a great outfit on a perfect date with your dream guy. Players take on the roll of fashion-maven Cher, whose life is not always as easy as it looks since her friends and family are continuously misunderstanding her very honorable intentions for them. It is up to the player to help Cher and her friends through the ups and downs of finding true love and, of course, looking good.

The game features over 500 fashionable options of tops, dresses, pants, shoes, and accessories that players choose from in order to assemble stylish outfits over the course of 80 different levels. There are sixteen clothing styles, ranging from contemporary to vintage, so players can mix and match hip trends from the past and present to create the highest scoring outfits in a race against the clock. Cher will then let the player know if she makes the grade. Even the player¹s boyfriend will compliment her fashion savvy‹and if she is lucky enough to have styled an outfit that matches his taste, extra bonus points will be awarded.


There are also a number of cool mini games like the Fashion Memory Mode where players match styles of hot outfits from memory and then position their model in the same stylish pose before time runs out. In the Concave Pavilion photo shoot, players dress their model, choose her position and location, and then can export the image to share with friends.

Clueless also includes the films¹ original opening soundtrack and music, in addition to the incredibly cool outfits that were created under the direction of students from the Fashion Institute of Design in Los Angeles. Bonus outfits can also be downloaded at www.omghighschool.com.

Clueless is the first of the three games that Legacy Interactive is developing based on highly popular Paramount Pictures films. Games based on the films Mean Girls and Pretty in Pink will be available for download during the next four weeks, and all three games will be available at retail in March 2009.

Martial Arts PC free to play video game Titan Online closed beta sign up

Exclusive Closed Beta to Launch February 18

the North American launch of Titan Online, its free-to-play, massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG). Slated for release this spring, users can get a taste for this martial arts fantasy by taking part in the closed beta test scheduled to launch Feb. 18.

An epic title based on traditional Asian culture, Titan Online is a fusion MMORPG with heroic martial arts and mysterious robots that takes place in a spectacular fantasy world. Titan Online is based upon the Korean best-selling novel, "Mo Siang." Set in ancient China, players will experience historic Chinese locales, meet influential figures from various dynasties, experience mysterious aspects of various ancient Asian cultures, all while trying to save the martial arts world by engaging in intense real-time battles.

"Titan Online will offer North American fans a new RPG experience," says Han Joo Lee, EYA Interactive's global service manager. "With an extensive and profound martial arts world, a powerful formation system, unique guild system, and pet system, users will find themselves in a beautifully fresh and distinctive RPG environment."

Developed in-house by EYA Interactive, Titan Online offers a very real picture of ancient China with 75 maps of historical sites, including Dun Hwang, Chang An, Kai Feng, Beijing, Shu Zhou, Shao Lin Temple, Chin Shi Huang mausoleum, Hang Zhou, Tai Shan, The Great Wall, and Hwang Her. In order to create the most true-to-life experience, the EYA development team spent time in China researching the ancient and historical cities so they could accurately reproduce them in the game.

The upcoming closed beta test will allow users to tap into a world that has already birthed a veritable civilization of fans in Asia. It will offer players an opportunity to discover enthralling characters in a beautiful 3D, cell-shaded world filled with unique characters.

The closed beta will last just a short time and is limited to selected participants. Interested players can learn more at http://titan.eyagames.com.

Knights in the Nightmare video game on Nintendo DS

Innovation is not dead; it's just awaiting its reawakening this June

Knights in the Nightmare, a groundbreaking new gaming experience for Nintendo DS. Certain to be one of the most innovative titles of 2009, Knights in the Nightmare is wholly unique. Not easily placed in any one genre, the game requires players to throw out everything they know about roleplaying and strategy games and embrace something altogether new and fresh. Frantic, energetic action mixes with thought-provoking tactical gameplay, all within a beautifully-rendered fantasy setting and presented through a captivating, emotional narrative. Dripping with style and originality, Knights in the Nightmare delivers an unforgettable experience.

Knights in the Nightmare is scheduled for release on June 2, 2009 with an MSRP of $34.99.

About Knights in the Nightmare
Somewhere between heaven and the underworld - in the center of a quiet lake - stood an ancient castle known as Aventheim. One night, without warning, denizens of the netherworld emerged and slaughtered the kingdom; nary a soul was left alive.

Within an abandoned, long-forgotten church deep in the woods, a wisp is set free. Bereft of memory, it is drawn toward the monster-infested castle and re-awakens the souls of the vanquished knights, leading them back towards the fallen stronghold to confront the very forces of evil that took their lives.

Key Features

• An experience unlike any before it - Incorporating strategy RPG, real-time strategy, and shooter elements, you've never experienced a game like this. Control a Wisp with your stylus and activate the souls of deceased knights to aid you in destroying foes on the map. Enemies fire bullets in multiple directions, making it vital for players to master the unique touch controls.

• Over 100 playable characters - Find and recruit the ghosts of seven different classes of knights from your kingdom, and learn of their pasts, hopes, dreams, and untimely deaths. Sacrifice their souls to one another to balance their skills and create your ultimate party.

• A tale from two perspectives - This twice-told legend entangles you in a dark and brooding tale that is simultaneously examined through events both past and present. Complete the adventure to unlock the ability to play through the game with a new narrative twist, placing the antagonist in the starring role.
Knights in the Nightmare has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

Dreamsdwell Stories PC fantasy video game download link

The idea of the game appeared thanks to the authors' keenness on various types of Drag-to-Match games. "We really liked this genre," says Pavlo Vysotskyi, the game designer of the project, "but we always felt restricted by the fact that the game elements were too close to each other. We decided to give the player more freedom letting to connect the spheres regardless of the distance and placing the elements further away from each other".

Despite being new the game mechanic is easy to learn since the potential connection lines are highlighted but it does not make the game less interesting because you need to find the optimal route to make a long chain.

At the very beginning of the project it became clear that the game needed a meta-level where the player could spend the resources received while playing. Between levels the player builds new structures and each of them gives access to new bonuses, new types of precious stones or brings a certain income. Advanced structures have dwellers who live their own life, move around the valley and talk to each other.

"The choice of the fantasy setting was not random," says Andriy Plish, the artist who created the graphics of the game "we wanted to create the atmosphere of a fairy tale where each dweller would be unique and evoke feelings of affection in the player". All the dwellers are busy doing their job and have their own habits. Gradually in the valley will settle Merchant, Troll, Knight, Elf, Fairy, Captain, Dwarf, King and Wizard.

In adventure mode the goal of the game is to build all the structures. Once you build the last one, Dragon will appear and fulfill the dreams of each dweller.

There are 150 unique levels in the game with the spheres and obstacles set manually. Each level can be repeated several times in the Quick Play Mode to get various medals and rewards.

Certainly, the opinions of players differ but practically all of them agree that they enjoy making long chains: "I like making long chains. My record is 48 spheres!" says one of the players.

Mayplay Games is planning to make a sequel of the game with the same dwellers but in the winter setting. Lots of ideas that were not fulfilled in the first game will be implemented in the second one. For example, the dwellers will give quests for certain levels with a unique goal like making 15 chains of one color in a row, finishing a level in 5 moves or collect a certain quantity of resources.

You can download the game here: http://mayplaygames.com/files/Dreamsdwell-Stories.exe

Hello Kitty Online Invites Players for Valentine's Day Event

Hello Kitty's MMORPG opens for beta stress test, exciting quests

Sanrio Digital today announced that Hello Kitty Online will open to the public from February 14 to February 17, 2009. All fans of Hello Kitty are invited to take part in the Valentine’s Day “Happy Hearts” event and stress test. To play, users must download the HKO game client from the game web site at www.hellokittyonline.com and sign up for a free account at SanrioTown, then use their SanrioTown username and password to log on to Hello Kitty Online. All players will be able to log in to the game starting from 20:00 EST on February 14, 2009.

The “Happy Hearts” event will end at 23:59 EST on February 17, 2009. New players will be accepted until the end of the event. “Happy Hearts” will feature exclusive new content and several enhancements to the game:

Special Valentine’s quests
Valentine’s Day under threat! Cupid is missing and so are the romance and friendship of the season. It is up to players of HKO to save Valentine’s Day and prevent the disastrous collapse of the greeting card industry. Exclusive items will be awarded to the first players to complete the quest chain.

Improved user interface
User interface enhancements include a higher supported resolution, larger field of view, movable windows, re-sizable chat box, and an improvement to the local area map.

Revamped farming system
The new farming system introduces 8 new and unique farm types while allowing players to participate in cooperative farming. Day cycles and related effects on your plants have been implemented. Plant growth times have been optimized.

Keyword chat filter
The new chat filter blocks offensive language from private and public chat to ensure a safer and more enjoyable gaming experience for players.

At 23:59 EST on February 17, 2009, Hello Kitty Online will be taken down for further work.