Rise Against to Rock with Guitar Hero - Previously Unreleased Single Death Blossoms released on March 12th

On March 12th, Rise Against will join the growing roster of artists to debut exclusively created music to Guitar Hero fans with the debut of “Death Blossoms” as downloadable content for Activision Guitar Hero World Tour.

The Guitar Hero alums, with “Prayer of the Refuge” and “Re-Education (Through Labor)” appearing in previous versions of Guitar Hero, complete the Rise Against Track Pack with “Audience of One,” the hit single off the band’s new album Appeal to Reason and “Ready to Fall,” from their 2006 album The Sufferer & The Witness.

Commemorating the release of the highly anticipated Rise Against Track Pack, virtual rockstars will have the unique opportunity to join Tim McIlrath on the digital stage for performances of Rise Against smash hits. For a chance to rock with the Chicago native in the Game with Fame on March 14th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM GMT in Guitar Hero World Tour on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, send a friend request to the gamertag GHRiseAgainst1.

“Guitar Hero continues to be a platform for artists to deliver new music while gaining invaluable exposure,” says Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs for Activision Blizzard. “We are thrilled that Rise Against was willing to compose and record ‘Death Blossoms’ exclusively for our audience offering fans an opportunity to download music heard nowhere else.”

Rise Against is vocalist Tim McIlrath, bassist Joe Principe, drummer Brandon Barnes and guitarist Zach Blair. In spring 2001, the band released their debut CD “The Unraveling” on Fat Wreck Chords. After two years of solid touring, Rise Against recorded “Revolutions Per Minute” (2002), followed by “Siren Song Of The Counter-Culture” (2004). “The Sufferer & the Witness” was released in 2006 and debuted at #10 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Rise Against released their fifth studio album, Appeal To Reason, on DGC/Interscope Records last fall and it debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart as well as spending one week at #1 on the iTunes album chart. First single, “Re-Education (Through Labor),” was a top 2 hit at modern rock radio and new single “Audience Of One” is poised to top the charts as well. Rise Against will embark on a summer headlining tour with special guest Rancid.

The Rise Against Track Pack will be available March 12th on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360 for 440 Microsoft Points and on the PlayStation Store for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system for 5.49 euros / £3.99. “Death Blossoms,” “Audience of One” and “Ready to Fall” will be released individually as downloadable singles for Xbox 360 for 160 Microsoft Points, PLAYSTATION 3 system for 1.99 euros / £1.59 and Wii for 200 Wii Points each.

Unreal Tournament 3 FREE Titan Pack Now Available for Steam and Windows PC

New Maps, Units, Gameplay Modes and More, All for Free

PlayStation 3 Version Available for Free on March 19

Midway and Epic Games are bringing more of a good thing to first-person shooter and Unreal Tournament fans as the Titan Pack for Unreal Tournament 3 is now available to download for Steam clients and Windows PC gamers.

This massive free download includes:

New Maps - 11 new multiplayer maps for Deathmatch, Capture the Flag (CTF), Vehicle CTF and Warfare modes, plus eight maps from the first UT3 bonus pack and Xbox 360 version of the game.

New Gameplay - Two new gameplay modes make their debut in the Titan Pack: Greed, a "tug of war" styled kill points fight, and Betrayal, a cutthroat style of combat where alliances can turn on a dime.

New Units - The X-Ray Field deployable can be used to waste enemies, while the Link Station can be deployed to keep your vehicles in fighting shape. The new Stealthbender vehicle renders itself invisible for surprise attacks, and comes with a Link Station, X-Ray Field, Spidermine traps and a powerful EMP mine. The Eradicator and Stinger are deployable turret units allowing players to rain death on their enemies and protect their bases during combat.

Titan Mutator - This mutator turns you into the dreaded Titan, a 15-foot tall destructive juggernaut possessing all effects from game power-ups at once. Morph into the thundering Behemoth, a 10-meter tall demon of devastation, to deal a temporary yet deadly blow to enemies.

New Characters - Nova and Kana are two new merchants of death joining the multiplayer mayhem.

Studio Responsible for all of the animations in Killzone 2

Audiomotion Studios, Europe’s leading Motion Capture specialist and service provider has been responsible for providing all of the Mocap data for one of SONY’s biggest releases for the first quarter of 2009, Killzone 2 FPS for PlayStation3. The game has gone straight in at No1 knocking Halo Wars off the top spot and has become one of the fastest selling Sony games of all time.

Working closely with the world famous Dutch based development studio and SONY owned Guerilla Games, Audiomotion worked on the hugely anticipated Killzone 2 for a period of four years delivering over 5000 in-game animations and utilizing Full Performance Capture for all of the cutscenes.

Mick Morris Managing Director of Audiomotion stated “We are delighted to share in the wonderful success of Killzone 2 with our friends at Guerilla. The team and the game they have delivered are absolutely deserving of the high praise they are receiving. It’s an amazing achievement and we look forward to more groundbreaking collaboration with them in the years to come.”

“Throughout the production of Killzone 2 Audiomotion has proven to be a very reliable and flexible partner. Supporting us creatively and technically. They go above and beyond the call of duty. They are more than just a partner, Audiomotion are a joy to work with” commented Geert Donker Cinematics Producer of Guerilla Games.

Following events and action from the original Killzone for PlayStation 2, Killzone 2 brings players into a highly detailed, ultra-realistic “theatre of war” that truly leverages the processing power of the PS3.

Street Fighter IV Dave White artwork - worth a fortune...

Renowned UK Artist Dave White Creates Most Valuable Piece Of Original Videogame Art Ever Established Art Scene Veteran Creates Exclusive Ink Sketching To Celebrate Street Fighter IV Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of videogames, announced today that renowned UK artist Dave White, whose previous work includes commissions for Nike and Coca Cola, has produced a one-off ink drawing to celebrate the launch of Street Fighter IV that has an estimated value of between £7,000 and £10,000.

Measuring 5ft x 4ft, Dave White’s huge rendition of Ryu (the main character in the Street Fighter series) was inspired by Dave’s love for Street Fighter and videogaming culture in general.

"For the past 18 years I have been playing Street Fighter in all its guises and versions,” says Dave White. “For me and millions of others it's more than just a videogame, it's a total obsession and way of life. Something more akin to the complex structure of chess, every match is different and every second offers chances and possibilities, risks and drama. That's why I play."

Dave White’s work has won him the respect of his peers and critics alike, with the UK press saying the following about him –

• The Daily Telegraph
“One of Britain's most feted up-and-coming painters”
• Arena Magazine
“A style of painting that has always been dynamic, explosive and unique to him.”
• The Guardian by Robert Clark
“ White’s sheer joy in the ways in which images are bred by playing around with the rich colourful messiness of oil paint is infectious”.

Street Fighter IV brings the legendary fighting series back to its roots by taking the beloved fighting moves and techniques of the original Street Fighter II and infusing them with Capcom’s latest advancements in next generation technology to create a truly extraordinary experience that will re-introduce the world to the time-honored art of virtual martial arts.

Cities XL populous problems...

Things would be easy if your indomitable will was all there was to managing a city. However, you will have to take into consideration the fact that your city is home to independent entities that make their decisions based on their own interests and not necessarily on yours! We call these entities the private sector and there are two types: citizens and businesses.

3.1 Citizens
Citizens will calculate their satisfaction levels based on four criteria: work, prices, services, and living environment. Work will incorporate salary scale (there are 4), unemployment rates, and commuting times. Prices will incorporate the cost of resources and, most importantly, taxes. (We have already discussed services and living environment in a previous blog). Citizens who are unhappy may decide to move house or, worse, to leave the city altogether. The average satisfaction level of the citizens will determine your city’s reputation and therefore its ability to attract new citizens and to grow.

There will be four levels of qualification available to citizens: unqualified worker, qualified worker, white collar, and executive. These in turn will relate to four affluence levels. Improving the affluence of your city will require you to first improve the overall level of qualification, to provide appropriate employment, and to increase general satisfaction. That’s your challenge!

3.2 Businesses
Businesses will also be independent agents. How well or badly they do will depend on conditions in your city. They can make losses and even go bankrupt! Your city’s reputation will depend on the profit margins of the businesses established there. This reputation will be important, as it can prevent new businesses from setting up if it’s not high enough. Don’t expect to attract new hotels if all the existing beds aren’t taken!

There will be five types of private business: offices, hotels, stores, leisure, and factories and farms. Each type will have its own logic and its own reputation. It will be possible to have a good industrial reputation while at the same time having a bad shopping reputation. Finally, each type will also have different affluence levels (luxury hotels, high-tech factories, etc.).

3.3 The Mayor and his means
The mayor will have access to 3 types of action. First of all, he will set taxation levels. These taxes will reduce the population and business satisfaction levels but will provide him with the means to run his city!

Using tax revenue, the mayor will be able to pay for public services (police, electricity, etc.). These services are very expensive but will meet some of the expectations of citizens and businesses.

Finally, and most importantly, the mayor will need to manage the urban space. He will have to decide where to place roads and transport infrastructure. He will decide where to locate industrial and residential zones. The city’s growth will depend on how well laid out it is.

3.4 It’s getting complicated
You think that’s everything? Not at all! There are two more complications to come for your gaming pleasure! First of all, you will be able to use the GEMs to develop certain industries from within your city (starting with a ski resort and a beach resort). These GEMs will make it possible to expand into areas that are difficult to build on (mountains and beaches), they will increase your city’s size, and they will allow it to produce the new resources and needs (e.g. winter sports) that your citizens demand.

Secondly, don’t expect to build a city that can do everything! In fact, it’s by linking up with other players around the planet, exchanging products, and sharing tasks that you will experience the full flavor of Cities XL!

Bubble Bobble, Silver Star Chess video games coming soon to Wii

Look, Bubble Bobble Plus has always been on track for an international release. An ESRB leak (thanks Justin!) just reaffirms Bub is coming to our shores sometime in the future.

Also found on the ESRB is a rating for Silver Star Chess, a WiiWare chess game published by Electronic Arts in Japan. Agetec, who has been very quiet recently, will publish it here.

Read full post here on Siliconera...

Need an adventure - spend a day with CID video game - video trailer

The Life of a Crash Impact Dummy is never easy, one minute you’re bored, the next you're flung into the greatest adventure of your life, with cool equipment, dangerous monsters and enemies out to get you. Need an Adventure? You're in the right place…

About CID The Dummy

A star is born and he's made to last. CID THE DUMMY makes his debut in Oxygen Games’ all-new action platformer. CID THE DUMMY is sure to grab you with its enjoyable, fun gameplay, featuring a totally original character with charisma and lots of moves. CID has many different fighting styles with which to battle enemies, from unarmed combat to weapons like the Bazooka that can freeze, hit and burn.

• Interact as only a crash impact dummy can. Climb walls, swing on ropes, burn obstacles, destroy exploding barrels, use lifters, bounce on springs and with a neat head butt destroy walls all in stunningly realized environments. Game environment interaction is the most important part of the gameplay.
• CID's world is swarming with a host of fearfully fun enemies like the Dumper, Cursed Dummy and the bizarre Failed Experiment.
• Apart from fighting enemies, the player will enjoy solving puzzles, avoiding traps and using acrobatic skills to get out of dangerous situations!

CID The Dummy will be released on Nintendo Wii, Playstation 2, PSP System, and PC.

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Guns of the Patriots Scene Expansion download update

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced that SCENE EXPANSION – the latest downloadable content for its Metal Gear Online title for PLAYSTATION 3 – is scheduled for release on March 17th in Europe priced 7.99 Euro. Metal Gear Online fans will be able to pre-purchase the SCENE EXPANSION from March 10th. Those who pre-order will receive an exclusive ‘Cardboard Box Man’ head gear for use in the game. The new expansion pack can be purchased from the game’s built-in MGO Shop.

The latest addition to Metal Gear Online adds further stages, options and content elements to the basic game, further demonstrating the versatility of its dedicated online gameplay. SCENE EXPANSION adds three all-new maps to the game, with the industrial wasteland of Outer Outlet newly available, with its above and below ground areas suited for long-range attacks, while Hazard House is three-storey building which favours close kills. Finally, SCENE EXPANSION also includes the Ravaged Riverfront Clock Tower, wherein the battle rages across above and underground and underwater.

The download also adds more well-known members of the Metal Gear Solid universe as playable characters, with Raiden and Vamp joining the player roster – and both equipped with the skills that made them so popular in the series. Both have supernatural jumping abilities, and Raiden can use a High Frequency Blade to attack and block damage. Vamp is equipped with different knifes, and his special ability is to respawn at the same spot he was defeated.

Kojima Productions has also introduced another new Solo Capture mode, wherein players are charged with holding on to a set target for a specific amount of time. Rival factions must attempt to seize the hostage, with a strict time-limit ticking away at all times. Other new elements include humorous elements such as a bikini, a wig, and hockey mask – and a subtle reference to Konami’s Silent Hill series in the form of Robbie’s head gear.

A full trailer detailing the download’s many new additions will be released via the PlayStation Store this week. Other changes with immediate effect are reduced prices for existing add-ons users can buy in the game’s built-in MGO Shop. From mid-March onwards, the PlayStation Network Wallet system will be supported as an optional payment option, allowing players to purchase all additional MGO content using their existing PSN account.

Metal Gear Online - $9.99 out March 10th and game details...

Konami has unveiled the official release date and more details on SCENE Expansion, the latest Metal Gear Online expansion pack for the ultimate squad-based, tactical shooter based on the popular Metal Gear Solid franchise. SCENE Expansion will be available separately for $9.99 and offered as a bundle with the second expansion MEME for $14.99 as well as all three expansion packs - GENE, MEME and SCENE Expansion for just $17.99 on March 17, 2009 via Metal Gear Online's in-game shop and Konami's shop (https://my.konami.net/mgo/). Starting March 10th, 2009, gamers who pre-purchase SCENE Expansion will receive a special "cardboard man" head gear for free!

SCENE Expansion and the additional Metal Gear Online expansion packs will contain a vast amount of content that are sure to thrill and entertain Metal Gear Online players - which include new maps, special characters, new skills, new gear, rules, the ability to play as a customizable characters, and more.

Please find new details and more information on the content of SCENE Expansion below:

• 2 new special characters
o Raiden - A cyborg warrior endowed with superior physical abilities. He is agile, runs fast
and uses a high frequency blade. This character is suitable for close-range hand-to-hand
combat

Raiden's Special Weapons:
o High Frequency Blade
o Throwing Knives (Raiden and Vamp can perform headshots by throwing knives)

Raiden's Special items:
o VISOR (item can be used opened and closed)

Raiden's Special Actions:
o He moves very quickly and can jump to high places where ordinary soldiers would
need a co-op boost to reach high grounds.
o He can also fall from high places and land without taking any damage.
o When his High Frequency Blade is drawn, Raiden can deflect frontal attacks.
o The High Frequency Blade can be switched to a non-lethal mode - by using the
rear of the blade.
o All stage traps will be displayed on Raiden's VISOR display when the VISOR is
closed

o Vamp - Immortal and a master of Knives. He's agile, runs incredibly fast and is great at
close-range hand-to-hand combat.

Vamp's Special Weapons:
o Combat Knife
o Throwing Knife

Vamp's Special Actions:
o He's able to move quickly and jump to hard to reach places.
o Can also fall from high places without taking damage.
o Whenever Vamp is defeated during the game, he is resurrected at the same
location.

• New Rule - A new game type that will be available to everyone as a global update to Metal
Gear Online with or without the expansion pack.

o Solo Capture (SCAP): Free-For-All Match with no team divisions,

Game Rules:
o The player who is able to keep possession of the target object (Kerotan frog) and
lets the timer reach zero will be the winner.
o Only one Kerotan per match will be available.
o The Kerotan will also reset to its original location if a player does not touch the
object for an extended period of time.
o Defeating players who do not possess the Kerotan will not grant characters
points, but will reduce the time of the defeated player.

• Special New Gear - Players can customize their avatar with playful new gear. Some of this
new gear includes:

o Bikini Outfit
o Haven Trooper Uniform Set
o Resistance Uniform Set
o Clown Face Paint
o Hockey Mask
o Mohawk Wig
o Short Cut Wig
o Shirtless
o Robbie (Silent Hill character)

• MGO Codec Pack 2
o 33 different voices and phrases of unique characters are included

Metal Gear Online is the online multi-player player experience that is included free in the retail version of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, developed exclusively for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.

KenKen - Sudoku killer coming to mobile phones

Capcom Mobile, a leading developer and publisher of mobile games, and NEXTOY, LLC today announced their intention to bring the hit puzzle game KENKEN to mobile platforms worldwide. Dubbed "sudoku with a brain,” KENKEN has become a certified phenomenon with more that 1.5 million puzzle books sold and regular puzzles appearing in The New York Times, Boston Globe, Detroit Free Press, Readers Digest and on NYTimes.com.

"In this exclusive agreement Capcom Mobile is honored to be bringing the next big puzzle franchise to mobile devices worldwide,” said Midori Yuasa, president, Capcom Interactive, Inc. "Mobile devices are the perfect platform for puzzles, and we look forward to giving new players and those franchise fans the opportunity to the play KENKEN on the go”.

The first KENKEN game from Capcom Mobile, called KENKEN: Train Your Brain!, will feature more than 250 puzzles, and will be available on mobile devices across Europe and North America by the end of April 2009.

The brainchild of Japanese Math teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto and made famous by puzzle master Will Shortz, KENKEN requires simple arithmetic calculations and logic to decipher the ingenious puzzles. Translated as "wisdom squared” in Japanese, KENKEN involves addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. With difficulty levels from beginner to advanced, KENKEN puzzles improve logical thinking, concentration and perseverance.

What People Are Saying about the KenKen Puzzle:

• "The most addictive puzzle since sudoku" - Will Shortz, New York Times Crossword Puzzle Editor

• "The successor to sudoku” – The Times UK

• "My latest puzzle love: KenKen” - Stephen Shankland, CNet News