Rock Band, MTV and VH1 celebrate Pearl Jam debut album Ten re-release out March 24th

Rock Band and Microsoft to Host Game with Fame session with Peadrummer Matt Cameronrl Jam on Friday, March 27th at 7pm ET

In honor of the re-release of Pearl Jam’s debut album Ten on Epic/Legacy Recordings, in retail stores nationwide day-in-date with its launch in the Rock Band Music Store, MTV, MTV2, VH1, and VH1 Classic and Rock Band are teaming up to roll out a two-week long lineup of content that celebrates the band. Its successes and the band’s debut in the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content. Exclusive features include the VH1 Classic premiere of “Pearl Jam Ten Revisited,” including the never before seen version of the music video “Jeremy,” and covers of Pearl Jam classics by current artists on MTV2.

Premiering on Saturday, March 21st at 2:30pm ET/PT on VH1 Classic, “Pearl Jam Ten Revisited” takes you on a half-hour look back at Pearl Jam’s seminal debut album, Ten that brought alternative rock to the mainstream by showcasing videos for “Even Flow,” “Alive,” “Porch” (from the band’s Unplugged performance), and the television premiere of the uncensored version of “Jeremy.” With the help of archival footage and interviews from the band the viewer will be taken back to the early 90’s to reflect on the album’s importance to alternative music. VH1 will air the special “Pearl Jam Ten Revisited” on March 25th at 11:00am ET/PT.

Pearl Jam fans also won’t want to miss MTV2’s “Rock the Deuce” beginning on Monday, March 16th through Thursday, March 19th at 8pm ET/PT and on Saturday, March 21st at 1am ET/PT when the network airs cover performances of Pearl Jam classics by artists including:

• Aaron Lewis of Staind – “Black”
• William Beckett of The Academy Is… – “Jeremy”
• Hoobastank – “Evenflow,” “Alive” and “Oceans”
• P.O.S. – “Why Go”

In addition, MTV, VH1 and VH1 Classic will celebrate Pearl Jam through the end of the month by airing blocks of other Pearl Jam music videos and feature videos and editorial on MTV.com, MTV2.com and VH1.com, as well as VH1 Classic. VH1.com and VH1Classic.com will also be celebrating the re-release of Ten by streaming the full album the week of release.

As previously announced, Ten, the debut album that sold 12 million copies and introduced the world to Pearl Jam (http://www.pearljam.com) in 1991, will also be offered for download in the Rock Band Music Store day-and-date with the re-issue of the album in stores on March 24, 2009. Ten, on Epic/Legacy Recordings, will be reissued in four new and expanded editions and will serve as the launch of a planned two-year catalogue re-release campaign leading up to the band’s 20th anniversary in 2011. Fans can preorder the re-issue of Ten now at www.PearlJam.com.

In addition, Rock Band partner Microsoft will be hosting Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron for a Game with Fame session on Friday, March 27th at 7pm ET. Fans with an Xbox LIVE Gold membership can play Rock Band 2 with Matt Cameron by sending a friend request to Gamertag “Pearl Jam GWF” and be online half an hour before at 6:30pm ET.

Pearl Jam released Ten on August 27, 1991. The album reached no2 on the Billboard 200 chart, sold over 12 million copies and became one of the cultural touchstones of the 1990s. Songs such as “Alive,” “Black,” “Even Flow” and “Jeremy” became staples of rock radio, and still make frequent appearances on the band’s ever-changing concert set lists.

For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com. Rock Band is published by MTV Games and developed by Harmonix. EA is the exclusive distribution partner for Rock Band.

Space Camp Nintendo Wii video game out this June

Activision has announced the June release of Space Camp for Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS. Packed with accessible space age mini-games and multiplayer options, it’s not rocket science to launch an unforgettable gameplay session!

In Space Camp, you begin as an aspiring astronaut in training. After rocketing yourself to the moon, you must engage in a series of futuristic, furiously fun missions in order to return home to Earth. With the help of your own robot, you will perform activities like scientific experimentation, controlling spacecraft and even defending the moon from invaders.

“What could be more fun than playing as an astronaut in a videogame?” said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. “This scenario offers a new perspective on using Wii™ and DS controls to craft a truly fresh, family friendly gameplay experience.”

In addition to the robust single player mode, there are several multiplayer options available on the Nintendo Wii. Cooperative Mode allows one player to control the main character while a second can interact with environment. For crews of more than two, Party Mode offers the opportunity for up to four players to take part in raucous competitive mini-game tournaments set on both the Earth and lunar locales.


“We are excited to be partnered with Activision on this project,” said Larry Capps, CEO of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. “Thousands dream of going to space and this game gives you that chance to virtually explore and have fun with your friends and family.”

Created by an Act of the Alabama State Legislature, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center houses over 1,500 artifacts chronicling man’s conquest of space, and is Alabama’s top tourist attraction. It is also the home of Space Camp and Aviation Challenge the nation’s leading science and aviation based educational camp programs. Space Camp and Aviation Challenge programs have graduated over 530,000 students in its 27 year history.

Fast Food Panic video game on Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS Guide to game features

3 GAME MODES

Story mode: Complete increasingly fast food missions!
Free mode: Play your favourite bits again… and again… and…
Mini Games: Loads of cooking related mini games for great single and multiplayer fun.

MANY ACTIONS TO DO AT THE SAME TIME

Prepare your dishes: Stir, chop, mix, cook, serve…
Manage your orders: Try to satisfy all your clients
Run your restaurant: Tables to clean, clients to welcome, orders to be taken… Keep an eye on the satisfaction of your customers, unhappy customers will leave
Help your waitress when she gets too busy

COOKING ISN’T EASY WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING IN A MAD PANIC

Use the right ingredients, don’t burn your food, and make sure it’s served correctly… or you’ll have to do it again!

SPECIAL VIP CLIENTS MAKE YOUR TASK HARDER!

Satisfy some very special clients:
• Big Eaters: Serve all their orders as fast as possible
• Experts: Provide high quality service while they are in the restaurant
• Gourmets: Serve them perfectly cooked dishes. They will look for evidence of high quality preparation in your dishes
• The Chef: Manage the cooking in the kitchen… and the service


Special DS game features

12 exciting mini games to play along

5 types of meal to be cooked in several recipes : sushi, hamburgers, curry, steak, pizza, past

Many special events randomly generated to break the routine and make your job even funnier: Helping the waitress to clean the tables, chasing mouse, cashing up, doing the deliveries....

Special WII game features

10 exciting mini games to play along.

4 types of meal to be cooked in several recipes : hamburgers, steak, pizza, pasta & pancakes

Crazy special events randomly generated to break the routine and make your job even funnier: washing up, cleaning rubbish, cashing up....

Multiplayer up to 4 (and 2 in coop)

Mad Catz Ships Licensed Resident Evil 5 Accessories for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3

Mad Catz Interactive, a leading third-party interactive entertainment accessory provider, today announced it has begun shipping of a range of Capcom - licensed Resident Evil 5 accessories, aimed at complementing the game’s release on the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 formats.

The licensed Resident Evil 5 accessories have been designed to appeal to the legions of Resident Evil fans and enhance the groundbreaking game play in this latest installment of survival horror.

Products shipping in the range are as follows:

• Official Resident Evil 5 Controller Faceplate – Xbox 360

Customize your controller in seconds with the official Resident Evil 5 Controller Faceplate. Snapping on to any official Xbox 360 Controller, the Faceplate depicts stunning Resident Evil 5-themed artwork. High quality and extremely durable, the Controller Faceplate maintains full comfort during sustained play.

MSRP: $14.99

• Official Resident Evil 5 Faceplate and Console Skinz – Xbox 360

Featuring custom Resident Evil 5 artwork, the highly collectible Faceplate and Console Skinz allow gamers to customize their Xbox 360 consoles. Easy to apply and remove, the Console Skinz wrap around the top and bottom of the console and when combined with the Faceplate, create a stunning themed backdrop. Available in a choice of striking designs, the Resident Evil 5 Faceplate and Console Skinz present an eye-catching addition to any gamer’s living room.

MSRP: $29.99

• Official Resident Evil 5 Controller Faceplate and Console Skinz – PLAYSTATION 3

Featuring characters and scenarios from Resident Evil 5, the highly collectible Console Skinz and Controller Faceplate allow gamers to customize their PLAYSTATION 3 consoles and official controllers. Easy to apply and remove, the Console Skinz adhere to the top of the console and provide a stunning themed landscape. In addition, the Controller Faceplate attaches quickly and safely to the official PLAYSTATION 3 controller providing matching artwork to the console.

MSRP: $29.99

• Official Resident Evil 5 Bluetooth® Headset – PLAYSTATION 3

Communicate in hi-tech style with the official Resident Evil 5 Headset with Bluetooth wireless technology. Compatible with the Bluetooth 2.0 standard and with a range of up to 30 feet, the Headset allows PLAYSTATION 3 gamers to communicate online during game play. Charging directly from the PLAYSTATION 3 USB port, the Headset requires no external battery and provides the ultimate communication solution for Resident Evil fans. The Headset is available exclusively at GameStop® stores across the United States.

MSRP: $49.99

• Official Resident Evil 5 Messenger Bag

Transport or store your console in comfort with the official Resident Evil 5 Messenger Bag. Sized for your console and accessories, the Messenger Bag is fashioned from high quality canvas and comes complete with a padded strap for comfort. Displaying full color game artwork, the Messenger Bag offers value and quality to any gamer.

MSRP: $49.99

• Official Resident Evil 5 Wall Scroll

An eye-catching addition to the Resident Evil 5 range, the Wall Scroll provides the perfect finishing touch to any gaming environment. Featuring a breathtaking intricate design utilizing official Resident Evil 5 artwork, the Wall Scroll has been designed to be a highly collectible and unique addition to any fan’s collection.

MSRP: $14.99

Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz commented, “Mad Catz is excited to be part of such an enduring gaming franchise. To date, the Resident Evil series has sold over 34 million units worldwide and includes a trilogy of high-grossing box office movies. We’re confident that our line of accessories will appeal to seasoned Resident Evil veterans as well as gamers discovering the series for the very first time.”

“Following our successful launch of Street Fighter IV licensed products, Capcom is pleased to continue our work with Mad Catz by introducing gamers to a new range of quality Resident Evil 5 accessories”, said Germaine Gioia, Senior Vice President of Licensing at Capcom Entertainment, Inc. “Resident Evil is a franchise which appeals to a discerning, core gaming demographic with a very large fan base and we’re sure that our fans will be excited to personalize their gaming experience with Mad Catz gear.”

The Mad Catz range of licensed Resident Evil 5 accessories is shipping now and is available at:

GameStop: www.gamestop.com/re5headset

Amazon, and other fine retailers across North America and key European territories.

Free-to-play MMORPG Rappelz to celebrate the spirit and the valour of warriors with themed events

The dark and fantasy world of the free-to-play MMORPG Rappelz will see a refreshing change of scenery with new events introduced between the 18th to the 31st March 2009. The gPotato.eu team has organised a number of themed events to celebrate the coming of Spring while bringing acclaim to the bravery of warriors. There will also be a brand new content update, with lots of new rewards awaiting players of all levels!

From 18th to 24th March, players can participate in the special Spring event on Rappelz to celebrate the five magical elements, essential components of the nature spirit. Adventurers have to collect the elements stolen by monsters to benefit from their hidden powers and bring back harmony to the Rappelz landscape. If players release the essence of these elements, they can get numerous bonuses including an increase in their strength or magical attack. They can also put the five elements together to get a magical box containing marvelous treasures like the Red Lydian and the Purple Ornitho special mounts.

From the 24th March, the Maea character is back in Rappelz cities, and will reward warriors depending on their level. From level 10 to 50, players can get various items from this character, like the much-sought after Stamina Saver, a special item which highly increases the experience points acquired from battles. Warriors will be exalted once more from the 24th to the 31st March during the special “Combative Spirit” event. For an entire week, players can collect a lot of useful items, giving them the chance to see their character evolved faster in the Rappelz world.

Please find attached an exclusive artwork commemorating the warrior spirit in Rappelz by Alex Guillaume, winner of the last “gPotato : art and video games” contest. For additional information, please visit the official website: http://rappelz.gpotato.eu !

Mushroom Men – The Spore Wars video game update

An ichorous green meteor plummets through Earth's atmosphere, fracturing and showering the earth with glowing green space dust that affects all forms of life nearby. Some plant life - like mushrooms and cacti -acquire sentience. At the same time, the green glow twists and mutates other life forms like spiders and roaches, transforming them into semi-intelligent, warlike communities.

DEVELOPER DIARY
WII COMBAT Prt 1: Melee System
Written by Kain Shin, Lead Programmer/Combat Designer

Melee System:
Melee combat in Mushroom Men is essentially the bread and butter of the combat system, and so it was very important that it felt fun for the user to do, without becoming frustrating or repetitive. The most basic means of achieving this would be the three-hit-combo. I actually fought against the idea of a combo at the beginning of development, but others on the team really expected to have this. I eventually realized that the combo allows for less emphasis on precision during combat, which is good because it makes combat less frustrating for novice players. To reward those who can be precise enough to make contact with all three hits of their combos, there is actually a graduation in damage for the three hit combo (50%, 75%, 100%) such that each hit of the combo becomes more powerful than the one before.

In order to keep melee combat strategic, we've limited the number of hits in a combo to three in order to allow the situation to "reset" after the third hit. More than three hits in a combo might lead to a feeling of repetition, and we wanted to mix the feel of close range combat up with things such as blocks, rolls, jumps, jump-attacks, and spore powers. So after the three hits of the combo are over, the player has a chance to try something different. This mix of vastly different physical combat actions allows players to use their own unique style throughout the game.

Some players will notice relationships between different combat actions (melee, block, roll) that feed into the combat design's intention of being flexible while rewarding strategic players with specific advantages.

Mushroom Men uses partial attack-cancels with the buffered method for blocks and instant method for rolls. We also made it so that you can cancel any injury animation into roll... similar to the way that Soul Calibur's allows you to perform "ukemi" by landing on your feet after being knocked down in certain ways if you press block at the right moment.

A lot of work went into the timing aspects of the animations as mapped to user input. If players attack during an attack animation before the next combo is possible, it will buffer that input and remember that the player intended to chain the attack, if they delay their attack input until after the previous attack is over, then there is a window of opportunity upon which their attack input results in an instant transition to the next attack animation. This ability to delay attack chains allows players to control the rhythm of the combo however they please.

The core aim of the combat system is to avoid making players feel like they are fighting the controller. I believe that sometimes, it is okay to give up damage-per-second consistency and fairness in a single player game if that means empowering the player to feel fast and flexible in a game that fully supports combat intentions. After all is said and done, Mushroom Men is in no way intended to be a hardcore fighting game... it simply incorporates some elements of fighting games in order to lend freedom to the player in plausible situations.

If you want to know more about some of the terminology I used, this is an excellent article on attack-cancel mechanics: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17243

And here are some terms explained:

A “Partial Cancel” allows an animation to be cancelled at specific windows during the animation. The two most common conditions for a “Partial Cancel” are Pre-hit frame (the animation can be cancelled any time before the first frame of the hit) and post-hit frame (the animation can be cancelled any time after the last frame of the hit).

A “Complete Cancel” allows an animation to be cancelled at any time during the animation. I'm generalizing, and there are special nuances that exist in certain games, but for the most part, these conditions are used 99 percent of the time.

The "Buffer" method stores and executes the user’s command when the cancel window is valid. The "Buffer" method, in a well-designed game, can be cancelled itself with other commands before the cancel window is valid, to ensure the highest quality of responsiveness.

The "Instant" method accepts and executes the user’s command on the frame of input when the cancel window is valid. The "Instant" method allows the player to delay the timing, which adds to the overall responsiveness of the game.

Mushroom Men – The Spore Wars and Mushroom Men – Rise of the Fungi will be available across Europe in March, 2009.

TITLE: Mushroom Men – The Spore Wars
PLATFORM: Wii
TITLE: Mushroom Men – Rise of the Fungi
PLATFORM: DS
DEVELOPER: Red Fly Studio
GENRE: Action Adventure
RELEASE DATE: March, 2009

Last Chaos Global Launches Expansion Pack 1

Long standing MMORPG receives largest update in the games history

Aeria Games announced today that the launch of Expansion Pack 1 for Last Chaos Global. The long standing massive multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) Last Chaos has received the largest content update in the game's history.

Expansion Pack 1 is the first of a series of expansions that will be released throughout the next year. The expansion includes:

Automated Market System

• For the first time in Last Chaos history players can now set up their items in a fully automated market system that allows for competitive pricing, and removes the requirement that players remain online to sell their wares!
• Prevents scamming as level of items/quantity/seller/prize are displayed prominently
• Frees up server space causing less lag

New Skills level 90-100

• Increases potential for group play, as new skills are focused on supplementing raid groups
• Long awaited, player suggested skills being implemented
• Rare skill books now drop in game offering players a chance to get the most powerful skills before everyone else!

New Armor and Weapons

• Visible Helmets for all player classes
• New Seal Combinations that add surprise stats and effects to weapons and armor
• New armor skins and glow effects make customizing your avatar easier than ever before.

Extreme Cube System

• The first ever instanced dungeon that pits players against one another AND evil hordes of monsters. Only the strongest will survive the chaos.
• Allows players to fight one another, and NPC's in a battle to advance through the cube system
• Players can participate with a Group or in the massive Guild versus Guild battles for supreme domination of the cube.
• Dungeons are randomized and relative to player levels

New Dungeons

• Two new high level dungeons the Ebony Mines and MistyCanyon introduce new monsters, and party play that will keep game play exciting for hours.
• The level cap for players has been increased to 140

For more information on Last Chaos, please visit http://lastchaos.aeriagames.com.

About Aeria Games

With a community of 5+ million members, offices in both the United States and Germany, and a diversified portfolio of MMO games, Aeria Games is one of the fastest growing publishers of Free-to-Play online games.

Our goal is to provide the best Free-to-Play games and top notch customer service to every one of our community members. With games covering all genres from all ends of the world, players are sure to find a unique game that will be exactly what they are looking for, with the quality customer service they deserve.

Founded in 2006, Aeria Games & Entertainment, Inc. is based in Silicon Valley, California.

Crime Scene chilling forensic police investigation on Nintendo DS

Discover more about Crime Scene trough this exclusive batch of screenshots. Meet the main characters of this breathtaking scenario and learn all the game mechanics. Turn your Nintendo DS into a crime lab and become the best forensic agent in town.

- Main characters

Matt Simmons (the hero)
Young detective recently promoted from forensics.
You will play the part of this dynamic and efficient officer.

Peter Wayne (colleague)
Incompetent detective who is nearing retirement.
He is there to help you throughout all your investigations.

Alexandra Malone (the boss)
The superintendent in charge of investigations. You must frequently provide her with progress reports on your cases; in exchange, she gets search warrants for you!

- Game mechanics

1- Discovery of the crime scene
2- Initial assessment and removal of clues
3- Analysis of the clues and the incriminating evidence
4- Comparisons and analyses of the results
5- Development of the forensic case and identification of the potential suspect

Examine crime scenes with a fine-tooth comb!
9 tools to remove clues with using your stylus: UV lamp and spray to reveal clues, tweezers (for hairs, bullets, fragments etc), swabs (cotton buds) for lifting liquids, brush, powder, adhesive strip for prints...

Analyse clues using hi-tech hardware.
6 tools to analyse clues with using your stylus: blood, sweat and DNA analysis, hair analysis, ballistic analysis and weapons comparison, photo scanning, digital print database, composition analysis (earth, mud, drink)...

Lead the interrogation of witnesses and suspects:
Question 19 charismatic characters. An interesting multiple choice dialogue will aid you and certain secrets you discover will help to expose the culprit!

Don't lose your boss's respect:
A gauge assesses you according to any handling or judgement errors you make…
Be careful, if you are too hasty you could compromise the entire investigation. It's up to you to convince your boss that you have enough evidence to mount a case!

FEATURES REMINDER

A forensic agent’s best tool? Your Nintendo DS™!
The best agent to take point on the mission? You!

A city where crime runs rampant…
A corrupt justice system…
Illegal human test subjects…
A dead cop…

With one suspicious event after the other and clues hard to come by,
it’s time for the forensic investigation to begin!

In Crime Scene you are part of the forensic police department and have to find and analyze clues with sophisticated equipment, interrogate witnesses and suspects, build a file with enough proof so there is no room for doubt and condemn the guilty!

A fully fledged crime lab on your Nintendo DS!

Crime Scene is no simple point and click game! Thanks to your stylus and your Nintendo DS™, take part in an immersive and breathtaking adventure where it will take everything you’ve got to uncover the hidden truth and put the bad guys behind bars!

About the game

Genre: Police investigation / Adventure
Publishor: Nobilis
Developer: White Birds
Platform: Nintendo DS™
Release date: Q2 2009
PEGI: +7
Official website: www.crimescene-thegame.com

New multiplayer mode free download patch for the Godfather II video game Don for a day...

A new multiplayer mode, called Don Control, will be coming to The Godfather II game. This new mode will be available as a free downloadable* patch right when the game releases on April 7th in North America and April 10th in Europe. Don Control takes the “Think Like a Don” strategic gameplay into an online environment and allows players to build a family, command them in battle and view the action from a bird’s eye view above.

Don Control introduces an additional layer of gameplay on top of the four multiplayer modes and six maps already available in the game and invites players to compete to see who is the ultimate Don of Dons. Players can now challenge one another in 16-player battles for their in-game currency from the single-player game. As a Don online, players can recruit others to join their family by giving them a cut of the profits. But if a player loses as Don, the in-game currency they wagered will be removed in their single-player campaign and their empire can come crumbling down.

The Godfather II takes the open-world genre in an entirely new direction by blending the furious combat of being a mobster with the strategic thinking of being a Don both offline and online. As a Don in the Corleone family, The Godfather II lets the player carve out their own story of deception, betrayal, and conquest in a 1960’s organized crime world. Players will have to build and invest in their family, command their crew, and manage their family business, all of which is done through the revolutionary Don’s View. The Don’s View is a 3D representation of the player's criminal empire, putting the player in the Don’s mindset; it allows them to coordinate their strategy, plan hits on rival made men, attack enemy rackets, and much more.

The Godfather II game from Electronic Arts and Paramount Digital Entertainment will be available on the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, and PC. The game has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB and 18+ for PEGI. Players who pre-order The Godfather II at participating retailers worldwide will receive an exclusive crew member, named Tommy Cipolla, to hire into their family.

Over 30 million iPhones sold over 6000 games now available..

Apple have assured their iPhone is a viable game platform with over 30 million phones sold and easy access to games over their Apple Store downloads.

Add to that online access and the possibilities are opening up to developers. Yesterday's news on games content downloads and multiplayer options the future looks bright.

Look forward to the big guns developing for the iPhone and iPod Touch over the coming months...

Check out the latest games on the Apple site here...

The latest EVE Online expansion pack increases the game’s universe by 41% with the addition of more than 2,400 new solar systems. You can only access them through wormholes that randomly appear and last a certain period of time, but they contain powerful technologies that allow you to design and manufacture next-generation starships. To obtain that new treasure, however, you must defeat a vicious race known as the Sleepers.