All-new downloadble time trial pack for Mirror's Edge

Leave the city behind! DICE announced today that the highly acclaimed first-person action adventure title, Mirror’s Edge has released downloadable content (DLC) for the PLAYSTATION 3, the Xbox 360 and the PC.

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Players will be challenged to achieve the fastest times possible on nine races across seven all-new and totally redesigned Time Trial maps. No guns, no cops, and no city: this is true aesthetics, agility and flow that will challenge any runner. This special DLC pack is available for £7 or 800 Microsoft points. As an added bonus, all PLAYSTATION 3 Mirror’s Edge fans can now download an additional map for free.

Time Trial is a popular mode in Mirror’s Edge that challenges players to find the fastest route across various maps. Players can upload their best time to the Mirror’s Edge leaderboards for their friends to download and compete against. Players can see their friend’s ‘ghost’ run as they race their way through the course to the top of the leaderboards.

Mirror’s Edge delivers players straight into the shoes of Faith, a modern day heroine who traverses the vertigo-inducing cityscape, engaging in intense combat, fast-paced chases and challenging puzzles. With a never-before-seen sense of movement and perspective, players are drawn into Faith’s dangerous world.

Players can also experience Faith in 2D this Friday when the hand-crafted animation and old school platform game by Brad Borne, creator of Fancy Pants, goes live at www.mirrorsedge2d.com

SingStar to get wireless microphones

Sony has announced they will finally be releasing wireless mics for their Singstar games . The mics will come with a new version of the game, SingStar Pop Edition, which will be released March 20th. If Pop is not your thing, then tough luck, as the mics will not be sold seprately.

The mics will be compatabile with both the both PS2 and PS3, and there is a chance they could work with Rock Band as well, although that is not confimred.

Get ready to unleash the SingStar within - with the launch of brand-new Wireless SingStar Microphones from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE). Rated as ‘excellent’ by the SingStar community, Wireless SingStar Microphones will have you and your friends performing from couch to table-top - completely leads-free! Coming to UK stores on 20th March, the launch of Wireless SingStar Microphones coincides with the release of SingStar Pop Edition for PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3).

With full focus on the SingStar community, SCEE asked community members to trial the new Wireless SingStar Microphones and offer their feedback. An amazing 99% of participants rated their microphones as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’, while SingStar community member Stuart from the UK said “Wireless Mics kick ass!” Dave Ranyard of Executive Producer of the SingStar franchise says “We’re excited with the community’s response to Wireless Mics. Now SingStars can enjoy their experience wire-free – and test them out with the exciting launch of SingStar: Pop Edition along with hundreds of new tracks in SingStore. We’re looking forward to seeing your brand-new wireless videos at My SingStar Online or www.singstargame.com.”;

Easy to pass around or keep to yourself; Wireless SingStar Microphones are lots of fun and easy to use. Test them out with brand-new SingStar Pop Edition, with brand-new voice control feature. Unleash some attitude with P!nk’s So What? Then grab your best mate for a pop duet with Jordin Sparks feat. Chris Brown’s No Air , rock out with Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer or perform a sexy solo with Sam Sparro’s Black and Gold. Here’s the international playlist:

Alphabeat 10.000 Nights Of Thunder
Amy Winehouse Rehab
Black Kids I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance
Bon Jovi Livin' On A Prayer
Chris Brown With You
Chris De Burgh Lady In Red
Cyndi Lauper True Colors
Gloria Estefan Rhythm Is Gonna Get You
Jordin Sparks feat. Chris Brown No Air
Kaiser Chiefs Never Miss A Beat
Kate Nash Mouthwash
Kings Of Leon Sex On Fire
Klaxons Gravity's Rainbow
Little Jackie The World Should Revolve Around Me
N*E*R*D Sooner Or Later
P!nk So What!
Queen Bohemian Rhapsody [DSCIMG]
Robbie Williams Angels
Robyn Be Mine
Rockwell Somebody's Watching Me
Sam Sparro Black And Gold
Solange I Decided
Sugababes Girls
The Feeling Rose
The Killers Human
The Police Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
The Script The Man Who Can't Be Moved
Will Young Changes
will.i.am Feat Cheryl Cole Heartbreaker
Yazoo Don't Go

Meanwhile the brand-new Voice Control function Only compatible with PLAYSTATION 3 available with SingStar Pop Edition means you won’t need to worry about picking up your PS3 controller as you sing along. Simply speak into your Wireless SingStar Microphones and announce which track you want to sing next - and it will appear on your screen! Plus you can even shop and search through your SingStore Carousel using your voice! Being a SingStar’s never been so much fun…

Wireless SingStar Microphones come with improved high-quality sound and are compatible with both PS3 and PlayStation 2. So cue the lights, turn up the volume and get ready to unleash the SingStar inside you when Wireless SingStar Microphones are launched 20th March whilst SingStar Pop Edition hit stores in April.

Unreal Tournament 3 - Titan Pack Expansion details

Unreal Tournament 3 - Titan Pack is a major expansion to the award-winning Unreal Tournament 3. The Titan Pack gives players a substantial amount of enhanced features and new content, including many original environments, new gametypes, the namesake Titan mutator, powerful deployables and weapons, new characters, and the Stealthbender vehicle.

Also included are sweeping enhancements to AI, networking performance, UI usability and mod support, plus the addition of 57 PS3 Trophies and Steam Achievements to make the UT3 experience even more satisfying. The “Titan Pack” also brings client-side demo recording, major Server Browser enhancements, a new maplist system, plus mid-game mutator and gametype voting functionality to the PC, while additional PS3 upgrades include split-screen support, mod browsing and Trophy support.

“Unreal Tournament 3: Titan Pack” includes:

* 16 environments – four Warfare, three vCTF, six Deathmatch, and three CTF maps – that are new to the PC and PS3 versions
* Three bonus pack maps, CTF-Face, CTF-Searchlight and DM-Morbias
* The namesake Titan mutator, which lets players overwhelm opponents as a 15 foot tall titan, or crush them as a 30 foot tall Behemoth
* Greed and Betrayal, two gametypes that breed new-found fervor throughout the competitive UT3 arena
* Two powerful weapons, the Stinger Turret and Eradicator Cannon artillery
* Two valuable deployables, the X-Ray Field and Link Station
* The Slow Field power-up, a portable version of the Slow Field deployable
* Stealthbender, a new vehicle that carries two spidermine trap deployables, one EMP mine, and one each of the new Link Station and X-Ray Field deployables
* Two new characters, Nova and Kana
* 57 awards attainable as Steam Achievements and PS3 Trophies
* Broad improvements for PC and PS3: Significant AI enhancements, especially in vehicle gametypes; networking performance upgrades; greatly improved menu flow and UI usability; better mod support
* Client-side demo recording, highly improved Server Browser, a new maplist system, plus mid-game mutator and gametype voting functionality for PC
* High demand PS3 features including PS3 Trophy support, two-player split-screen support, and mod browsing

Pokemon Diamond on Nintendo DS Unlockable guide

Pokemon Diamond, or Pocket Monsters Diamond, as it is know in Japan, is a role-playing game developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo exclusively for its hugely-popular Nintendo DS handheld gaming console.The title is part of the Pokemon RPG series, which also comprises releases such as Pokemon Pearl or Pokemon Platinum. Based on the world famous Pokemon anime series, it was first launched in its native Japan on September 28, 2006, and reached North American and European shores on April 22, and July 27, 2007, respectively.
Both Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl are set in the fictional world of Sinnoh, which is the habitat of 493 different species of Pokemons, a special type of animals that possess different kinds of powers that can be used in the fight against their enemies. As all Pokemon stories, this title documents the journey of a young trainer who needs to raise and battle Pokemons, all of this while investigating a criminal organization that wants to hurt the creatures.

Features such as Internet play, via the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection, or changes to the gameplay and battle mechanics are also present in the title, which aims at giving a fresh new experience to Pokemon fans all across the world. Older concepts such as Pokemon contests are also introduced, in order to bring back the old fans of the anime series and older video games. Pokemon Diamond and Pearl are similar in some ways, but cover different stories and don't have the same gameplay mechanics. In order to complete the Pokedexes of the two titles, you must trade between them in order to uncover new species of animals.

The game has received positive reviews, with critics praising the Wi-Fi features, which enable players to engage in some interesting battles, and the gameplay that, although being based on almost the same principles as older titles, has managed to offer an entertaining experience. Sales have been very good, with the game shipping around 15 million units worldwide, thanks to the big number of Pokemon fans out there.

UNLOCKABLES

Trainer card ranks

Complete any of the following tasks in any order to earn a star and change the color of your trainer card, as indicated below: Defeat the Elite Four, win all of the Master Rank Contests, complete the Underground Flag mini-game with friends, capture 482 different Pokemons, or win 100 times in a row at the Battle Tower.

Blue Trainer Card (one star);
Bronze Trainer Card (two stars);
Silver Trainer Card (three stars);
Gold Trainer Card (four stars);
Black Trainer Card (five stars).

New and improved PDC World Championship Darts 2009 on Nintendo Wii

The throwing method with the Wii Remote in PDC World Championship Darts 2009 is all new, having been re-designed and improved, from the 2008 version. The mechanism has been completely rewritten to give you the most realistic darts throwing experience yet – so you’ll have no excuse if you miss an easy shot!

Oxygen and Rebellion studios have strived to give darts fans a throwing gesture as realistic as possible using the Wii Remote. PDC Darts 2009 will have 3 throwing assist levels; Max, Min and Off. Max will allow those not experienced at throwing real darts the ability to keep up with the games professional players, Min and Off modes will challenge players with greater experience taking power, dart weight and accuracy into account.

Phil The Power Taylor, who has been working with Rebellion and Oxygen to improve the throwing method said “The throwing method is smooth, fluid and simple. Oxygen have really improved upon last year’s version and it feels the same as throwing a real dart with the advantage being that I don’t have to walk to the dart board to take out the arrows!”

Steve Hart, Producer at Rebellion commented “We wanted to offer people the ability to compete against the worlds top Darts players, those starring in the game compete at their real life dart averages. We knew we couldn’t expect everyone to keep up with such professional play. In order to achieve this we had to first, design and implement a throwing gesture that felt natural and as close to the real thing as possible. Once this was in place we went to work on offering different levels of “Assist Mode” as per last years game, where by assisting people with the throw accuracy, power etc. the game offered a more forgiving game mechanic, or with Assist Off, as close to the real thing as a computer game could ever provide. We’re very happy with the results.”

Jim Scott, CEO of Oxygen Games added “We got some criticism from a few passionate sports and darts fans last year who thought the throwing method could be improved. We took everything they said on board and have now created the purest and most realistic darts experience to date. We are sure anyone who tries this version will not be disappointed.”

Specific Improvements:

1. Assist modes cover more areas than previous version.
2. PDC2009 has a more intuitive system, whereby aim reticule can be re-locked into same position.
3. The gesture is more sensitive and accurate
4. On screen feedback is centred on the reticule, so all info is provided at the point of interest, instead of looking into a corner as in the previous version.
5. Dart weights are taken into account this year. So if you’re throwing high all the time, select a heavier dart rather than tweaking your gesture.
6. Relentless Focus Testing to ensure we knew where it was wrong, and where it was right. And the readjusted accordingly.

Killzone 2 - Guerrila boss admits "Some Areas to Improve"

Hermen Hulst is the managing director of Guerrilla Games. He appears to be a refreshingly honest and straightforward chap in an industry rapidly disappearing beneath a mountain of jargon, obfuscation and plain BS. He is also responsible for Killzone 2, the game that could either breathe new life into PlayStation 3 or serve as the first verse in its swansong.

While Internet forums have been befouled with rants about how good or bad the game is, Mr Hulst is more up front. He says, "We've delivered in most areas on the vision we set out. We have pushed the machine hard". However, he also states, "If you analyse down to the nitty gritty, there are some areas to improve."

That is not the kind of statement a company leader makes about a make-or-break product that he is not confident in. He's also upfront about why the game came about, telling the BBC, "Our mission for the title was to build a showcase for the PlayStation 3 hardware. I think we have pushed the machine, so I am hopeful that we can help Sony push hardware units."

Source: Spong

Runes of Magic - Daily quest has players battling against huge minotaurs

A new challenge arises in Runes of Magic. From today with 'Battle for Mystery’ a truly epic encounter awaits players in the high level area of the fantasy online role-play game.

This encounter follows the concept of the Daily Quests – tasks that are only accessible once a day - requiring a challenging battle with a world boss. The daily quest leads players out of the 'Harf trading post' to the 'Mystical Altar', a location up in the Ystra Highlands. This is where they have to overcome the sinister magician Samoge. In the course of the battle, two gigantic stone statues in the form of minotaurs are awakened and brought to life. However, the player ought not to wage the ‘Battle for Mystery’ on their own: nothing less than a combat troop of up to 36 players with a level of at least 45 are needed to bring Samoge to his knees. They will also be supported by envoys from the NPC faction ‘The Eye of Wisdom’ who have also placed a price on the magician’s head.

Considerable valuable rewards beckon to the raiding party in the event of a victory over the world boss Samoge and his enlivened helpers. Together with epic quality weapons and armaments, players will also bag rare scrolls to help them with rune interpretation which could also help them in increasing the value of their equipment.

Runes of Magic started the open beta with an English and a German version in the middle of December 2008. All interested players can now download the online-role playing game and enter into the fantasy world after creating an account for free on www.runesofmagic.com.

Runes of Magic – a world full of wizardry and adventure
With an extensive range of features Runes of Magic prepares to redefine the standard of free2play MMO games. Runes of Magic conveys an absorbing story through more than 1.000 quests embedded in an atmospheric fantasy setting. Players can choose between six main classes and combined with a secondary class they present 30 individual combinations of character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts like war horses and more. A particularly attractive feature for guilds and players is the possibility to arrange their own virtual homes with individual furnishing. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, thrilling PVP, as well as demanding dungeons and boss-monsters, no wishes remain unsatisfied. The Taiwanese developer Runewaker has developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards within a time frame of three years. The studio will provide new challenges for players every three to four months with free add-ons and updates. MMO fans can find more information, pictures and videos on the official website www.runesofmagic.com.

Features

- Free2play: no monthly fees, free download
- Extensive dual class system (six primary and secondary classes)
- Versatile spell- and attack-combinations
- Enthralling background story
- More than 1.000 quests and quest series on launch
- No zone boundaries thanks to seamless architecture
- Dungeons: Instanced and tile based as well as persistent
- Individually developable skills and spells
- Armour sets with special bonuses
- Dynamic item system with hundreds of runes for upgrading
- Optional PvP system with arena battles and guild wars
- Ranking system with player-ranking lists
- Multitude of unique mounts
- Epic crafting system with the chance to improve existing items
- Personalization of player houses through individual furnishing
- Reputation system
- Customisable user interface with the option to use Add-Ons
- Map and radar system to find dealers, resources and quests easily
- In-game auction houses for trading items
- Teleport-Runes for instant travel
- Mouse and keyboard controls for movement
- Regular updates with new content
- Cross-server fights in three-server-battle in development
- Guild houses in special zones in development

Free Driving Lesson (UK) with Nintendo DS game - Pass Your Driving Theory Test out this March

Avanquest Software Publishing, formerly known as GSP and one of the UK's leading consumer software and games publishers, will launch Pass Your Driving Theory Test for Nintendo DS in March 2009. Pass Your Driving Theory Test DS from Avanquest also comes with a free driving lesson worth £26 from LDC, the UK’s third biggest driving school. The release follows the success of All in One Driving Test on PC, with the publisher now transferring its expertise to the handheld market.

The sophisticated driving revision guide will be targeted at the 1.5 million learner drivers that take a theory test every year. A theory test costs £30 and almost 40% of those taking it will fail*, which can result in increased costs, wasted time and added annoyance to an already stressful situation. The free driving lesson included with every copy is expected to increase sales by offering consumers a practical benefit in addition to a sophisticated revision guide.

Pass Your Driving Theory Test DS includes all 1265 official Driving Standard Agency (DSA) questions for car and motorcycle, with detailed explanations for each answer. Unlike similar titles, tests can be customised, enabling students to focus on particular subject areas and create a targeted revision plan.

“Our free driving lesson worth £26 with each copy of Pass Your Driving Theory Test DS is a practical benefit and a value for money offering when you consider the software retails at £19.99,” states Simon Reynolds, European Games Director at Avanquest Software Publishing. “With 1.5 million learner drivers taking their theory test each year the potential market is huge and self replenishing every year. We expect this offer to attract learner drivers and enable retailers to fulfil a great need in the market.”

Pass Your Theory Driving Test DS enables revision on the move, at college or work due to its portable capabilities. Consumers turn the DS on its side to revise in the more convenient book format of the Nintendo DS, and the software has been designed to cater for both right and left handed people.

Fast facts:
Publisher: Avanquest Software Publishing
Developer: Uacari/LDC
Distributor: Interactive Ideas / Gem / Centresoft / Ideal Software
Release date: March 2009
Format: Nintendo DS
Genre: Simulation
SRP: £19.99

Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Plaza Skate 2 download available

Experience the Inspiration for Dyrdek's New MTV Show with Skate 2's Latest Downloadable Content

Electronic Arts announce that gamers will be able to extend their Skate 2 experience with the download of Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Plaza, starting today in the PLAYSTATION Store for $5.00 in North America and on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 400 points. The downloadable content features Rob Dyrdek’s new skate plaza, the centerpiece of his MTV show, Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, as well as the surrounding downtown Los Angeles area.

“I’ve been involved with the Skate franchise since the very beginning and each game has been able to perfectly capture the culture and feel of skateboarding,” said skateboarder entrepreneur, Rob Dyrdek. “I can’t wait to give players a taste of the Fantasy Plaza, my dream skateboarding space. The team at Black Box has recreated the plaza in Skate 2, complete with all the ledges, gaps and rails. On top of all that, there’s still a lot more surprises outside the park that both gamers and skaters will enjoy.”

Recently released for the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Skate 2 has already received high acclaim from top videogame media including a 4.5 out of 5 from PlayStation: The Official Magazine, a 91 from PSM3 and ‘Game of the Month’ distinctions from IGN and Game Informer.

Skate 2 brings gamers to New San Vanelona, a city rebuilt with more spots to skate and own. Equipped with double the bag of tricks and the ability get off the board to move objects around, players can now create their own epic skate spots which can then be shared and experienced by others around the world. The game also features a revamped Thrasher Hall of Meat mode that will have players spending countless hours pulling off bone-crushing wipeouts and bails.

Skate 2 is developed by Black Box, in Vancouver, British Columbia. The game is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB and 16+ by PEGI.

Atlantica Online Rolls Out Major Update

Content Upgrades Include New Character Classes, Dungeons, Hairstyles, and More

Strategic turn-based MMORPG, Atlantica Online, today released a major update for the award-winning title. The update adds several new features, including two new main character classes – Musician and Maniac. These new features and classes will enhance the player’s journey through time and history in their quest to find the lost land of Atlantis.

The majority of the new content will be accessible to all players immediately, while some of the new features will only be available to players who have reached level 100.

The major content updates include:

Two New Main Character Classes
Head out into the world with the new classes and get your hands on some unusual gear: a guitar or a power saw. The Musician wields a guitar, which can be selected by any player, new or ongoing. Specializing in long-range combat, the Musician attacks by playing music that strikes two enemies in a line. Its magic attack, the Ravaging Melody, depletes enemies’ attack power, defense, and health, and aids your mercenaries’ attacks. When they attack, they utilize moves that would make Angus Young envious.

The second new class is the Maniac, and he/she brandishes a power saw. Only players at level 100 can create a main character using the power saw, although that character will have to start anew at level 1. The Maniac’s attack hits all enemies in a row, and has a magic cast called Storm Blast.

New Mercenary
The Elementalist is a new, Class B magic mercenary that can be recruited in North America after you reach level 100. When upgraded, the Elementalist becomes the legendary Native American, Pocahontas.

New Dungeons
Now offering even more locations, Atlantica boasts a handful of new dungeons including Alcatraz Prison, which can only be accessed by nations. Additionally, the Valley of Oblivion, also in North America, can only be accessed by guilds, and is the route players must take to acquire the Elementalist. There are also new side quest dungeons based in China.

Celebrate Your Character’s Individuality
Not only will your character now have three new options for hairstyles (the long wave, the afro, and the rasta), your main character will now receive a present on his or her in-game birthday.

To read the complete list of the new updates for Atlantica Online, please visit www.playatlantica.com.

Atlantica Online is a strategic turn-based MMORPG that combines innovative combat with character/party development and city/country management. Players take on the quest to destroy the Oriharukon, a powerful energy sensor from the lost civilization of Atlantis that survived and is now endangering humanity. This journey will take players around the globe, to locations like the Great Wall of China and the pyramids of Egypt, and they will come face-to-face with monsters ripped from history and lore, such as the ruthless Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu and Dracula.