Ys Call of Solum Online - 2nd Closed Beta opens today - Key to Play

* Servers opening on Tuesday 26th of May at 10:00 CEST
* Over 50.000 subscribers applied on the Official Site
* New keys will be distributed among videogames websites

Today Ys fans have reasons to celebrate because at 10:00 CEST the Ys Online servers will re-open. Both old and new players are welcome to sign up for this closed beta and find out how the Ys world has transitioned into a fully featured MMORPG.

Ys Online: The Call of Solum had a successful launch in Asia. Its astonishing gameplay, beautiful manga style graphics and low spec requirements have seduced hundreds of thousands of players from China, Korea and Japan. And now, for the first time in Europe, Ys Online will be completely translated into four languages English, French, German and Spanish.

More than 50.000 Key To Play accounts have applied for a key on the official site since the announcement two weeks ago. Also, around 20.000 keys will be distributed all over the video games online media, waiting for their lucky owners. Stay updated at YsOnline.com!

Ys - Call Of Solum

Call of Solum is an MMORPG based on the famous Ys series, created for the Japanese company Falcom. Since its first title for 8 bits, already turned into a classic, several manga series, OAVs and even novels have been stemmed. This time, Falcom and CJ Internet are joining to present Ys - Call of Solum, the new title of the series turned into an online videogame that follows the anime style, so characteristic in the entire saga.

Ys - Call of Solum arrives in Europe thanks to of Key To Play.
With Man of Wings' ascent to the sky, chaos reigned in the continent of Eresia. The central region known as Europe was divided into two enemy realms: Romun, dominating the centre and south of the region and Etruria, in the north.
After one hundred years of constant battles all over the continent, several kingdoms fell, one after the other, against the fearful monsters emerging from the chaos. This way, 12 soldiers of different races, Eresians, Kimoans and Afrocans, joined Grey the hero, to defeat the monsters and establish a new empire under the name of Romun all over the continent.

Key To Play

Key To Play is a new online videogame portal of different genres, created in 2008 with the aim of bringing great international titles to the European market. With several offices in Europe and Asia, Key To Play is offering offers online players a large network of support and development possibilities. All this with one goal: to be able to give the best quality and playability.

Currently, the titles are launched in 4 languages simultaneously, English, French, German and Spanish, to offer more convenience to the players.

Key To Play has committed, up to now, to two titles, Priston Tale 2: The Second Enigma and Ys Online - Call of Solum.

Sony to release PlayStation 3 inFamous bundle in UK

Sony will release a new PS3 bundle in the UK with forthcoming open-world superhero title inFamous.

According to a listing on retail website Amazon, Sucker Punch's action game will be packaged with an 80GB console.

The bundle will be priced at £279.99 and made available for the game's official release date on May 29.



In the PS3 exclusive, players take on the role of bike messenger Cole McGrath, who acquires electricity-based superpowers after an explosion in the fictional Empire City.

Team Fortress 2 update from Valve to make game fair

When Valve introduced the first four class updates to Team Fortress 2, an achievement system was used to help unlock new weapons and items. According to Valve, that system did not work as intended.

In the end, instead of playing the game toward fun and rewarding goals, hardcore players would grind achievements to unlock the game's latest weaponry. At the time, users complained the achievement system was changing the landscape of Team Fortress 2's online community - mostly because some of the achievements were so difficult to acquire regularly.

In response, Valve has changed the new weapon system with the latest update (Spy & Sniper). In the new system, Team Fortress 2 utilizes Valve's Steam Cloud, automatically rewarding players new weaponry and items previously only attainable through completing achievement related tasks.

Full post on Joystiq here...

360 deg shooter K.ryzer new stunning gaming experience for iPhone and iPod touch

K.RYZER PROLOGUE is finally available on the App Store! Marking what is only the start of a whole new stunning gaming experience for iPhone and iPod touch! KRYZER is different, KRYZER is fast, KRYZER will blow your mind!



With only minimal input movements, it’s your job to control the flight path of an inter-dimensional cyberspace glider as it confronts endless foes in a 360° field of play. KRYZER combines arcade action and innovation and generates a whole new gaming ambience! A banging electronic soundtrack and stylish 2D graphics round up the whole experience.

Car Jack Streets iPhone video game a steal after price drop Pluss official game guide

Following the outstanding success of their handheld crime-simulator Car Jack Streets iPhone, developer Tag Games has dropped the price of the game for a limited time only. The real-time action title has received an average review score of 8.2 from 22 leading game review sites and fantastic user review scores on the App Store.

The studio has listened closely to the opinions of Car Jack Streets biggest fans and harshest critics to model both of the forthcoming free update packs on their suggestions.

The developer just keeps on giving back to the gaming community as the game is available on App Store now at the reduced price of £0.59 / $0.99 / Euro 0.79 and a new FAQ guide has been released online to accompany the title. The official Car Jack Streets guide can be found here: http://www.tag-games.com/holdingpages/carjackstreets/images/cjs_faq_v11.pdf

Paul Farley, MD at Tag Games said: "We are grateful to everyone who bought our game first time round and as our way of celebrating, we are lowering our prices to encourage newcomers to try out our game. We feel it is one of the most ambitious titles available on App Store today and would like to invite everyone to give it a try."

GAMEVIL Launches Zenonia on Apple App Store

GAMEVIL USA, Inc., the LA-based mobile games publisher, today announced that its classic action role-playing game Zenonia for iPhone and iPod touch is available on the Apple App Store. Zenonia features anime style characters and graphics which will bring back nostalgic moments from epic role-playing games in the past. The game has numerous quests to follow with an interesting story line, as the hero goes on a journey to figure out his past. For each different skill class, there is a unique set of skills to master along with hundreds of items and weapons to acquire.

“We’re thrilled to launch Zenonia on the Apple App Store”, said Kyu Lee, president of GAMEVIL USA. “The revolutionary iPhone and iPod touch have allowed us to develop a unique version of this game and we are certain fans will love the engaging gameplay and captivating fantasy world we’ve created.”

ZENONIA is now available for $5.99 from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/

For more details, please visit www.gamevil.com

Namco Bandai Games Europe announce 'Dragonball: Revenge of King Piccolo' for Nintendo Wii

Namco Bandai Games Europe S.A.S. today announced the forthcoming launch of Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo exclusively for Wii. Scheduled for European launch this autumn 2009, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo promises to thrill fans with the first ever appearance of the original Dragon Ball story on Wii in glorious 3D.

Heading back to the early days of the Dragon Ball story, players will control Kid Goku as he sets out on fantastic adventures with his friends. The title faithfully reproduces the uniqueness and special humour of the early Dragon Ball series, while adding an original blend of action and adventure to the mix. With the original Japanese music and voiceover included for maximum authenticity, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo offers fans a dazzling new experience with the characters and universe they know and love.

The visuals in Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo take the series to a new level by faithfully reproducing on-screen the original drawings of legendary Dragon Ball artist Akira Toriyama down to the finest pen strokes. Thanks to the high-quality, state-of-the-art graphics, fans will be able to immerse themselves in the Dragon Ball universe like never before.

Game modes include Story mode which follows Kid Goku from the Red Ribbon Saga to the King Piccolo Saga with the ability to replay previously completed stages, and the unlockable VS mode where players can take different unlocked characters into battle.

With in-game collectables, a host of unlockables, and more fun, fights and adventure than ever before all delivered in dazzling 3D, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo is the definitive Dragon Ball videogame experience coming to Wii this autumn 2009.

Clickgamer.com and Exosyphen release Hacker Evolution to the iPhone and iPod touch

Mobile game publisher Clickgamer.com is bringing Exosyphen Studio’s Hacker Evolution to the Apple App Store.

In Hacker Evolution, you pit your skills against a network of computers and try to hack into as many computers as possible. Use viruses or bounce your connection through hacked servers, in order to avoid being traced and lose your firewall. Something that looks simple at first, will become a challenging adventure. Balance your resources carefully and plan your attacks to obtain the maximum number of score points and to retrieve deadly viruses you can use in your attacks.

“Hacker Evolution is the first step from a series of innovative and unique games that we are designing and bringing to the iPhone and iPod devices.” said Robert Muresan, Founder and CEO of Exosyphen Studios.

Hacker Evolution is available for $0.99 from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch, or at www.itunes.com/appstore/

For more information about Clickgamer.com please visit http://www.clickgamer.com. For more information about Exosyphen, please visit http://www.exosyphen.com.

ESL Pro Series Season 2

Europe's biggest league for computer games, the Electronic Sports League, began the second season of the ESL Pro Series in February 2009. The prize purse totals £30.000 for the most popular league for professional computer gamers. The final of the second season of the ESL Pro Series is hosted at Congress Centre, London on the 4th of July.

The best pro gamers will compete in the disciplines Call of Duty 4, Quake 3, Trackmania Nations Forever and Counter-Strike:Source live in front of audience for the championship title and a slice of the prize money of £30.000.

More information on the Electronic Sports League (ESL) and the topic of eSports are available here: www.esl.eu/uk and www.turtle-entertainment.de/?press

Game descriptions of the eSports games Call of Duty 4, Trackmania Nations Forver, Counter-Strike Source and Quake 3 are available here:
www.turtle-entertainment.de/Dateien/Game_Descriptions_UK.zip

Pictures of the first ESL Pro Series final in January 2009: www.esl.eu/uk/pro-series/season2/gallery/?event=420

Pictures of the second ESL Pro Series event, Intel Friday Night Game in London: http://www.esl.eu/uk/pro-series/season2/gallery/?event=460

Nintendo Download: Pop-powered adventures bubble up through the clay

With summer just around the corner, this Monday finds an especially hot mix of downloadable game offerings for the WiiWare and Nintendo DSiWare services, as well as for the Virtual Console. Nintendo DSi users can become world-famous pop stars or use a new photo application to view their pictures in interesting new ways. Wii™ owners can transform into bubble-bursting dragons or hunt for melons on a mysterious island. And be sure to check out this week's Virtual Console debut, which features clay figures and stop-action animation to create a comedic twist to the street fighting genre.

Nintendo DSiWare

American Popstar: Road to Celebrity (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 800 Nintendo DSi Points): This is your enthralling and interactive success story as a young hopeful in the music milieu. The adventure begins when you get the chance to audition at your Hollywood high school. But the road to celebrity isn't an easy one: Your secret crush is also auditioning, and so is your evil rival. This unique mix of music-themed gaming and social adventure will let you show your talents to the world, take your best photo with the Nintendo DSi system's built-in camera and meet lots of people who may help you build your career. You're about to become the greatest pop star in the world. Talk, share activities and be friendly or unfriendly with numerous characters. Customize your character's name and appearance, and develop skills and personality through your actions. Four musical mini-games include Guitar, Singing, Drums and Dance. Record your voice, take your own photos and sign autographs.

Photo Clock (Nintendo, 1 player, 200 Nintendo DSi Points): Photo Clock allows you to enjoy the photos taken with your Nintendo DSi Camera application in a new way. Watch your images appear on the top screen of your Nintendo DSi system according to your chosen display settings (specific photos or all photos; in order or randomly displayed). Select from either an analog or digital clock, using the system's internal clock or offsetting the time however you like. Program up to three alarms – with snooze functionality for those who need it – and assign them a preset ring or use a sound created in Nintendo DSi Sound. Experience all the enjoyment of a photo album while ensuring you won't lose track of the time.

WiiWare

Bubble Bobble Plus! (TAITO, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 600 Wii Points): Bubble Bobble Plus! is a simple yet exhilarating action game where you control the bubble-blowing dragons Bub and Bob, trapping enemies in bubbles and then popping them. You can play all 100 of the Standard Mode rounds, which faithfully recreate the nostalgic arcade game, or try 100 new Arrange Mode rounds, which allow up to four players to play on stages with exciting new features such as new enemies and stage layouts. There are also Super Mode rounds for you to enjoy. Determine the true ending by solving puzzles hidden on each stage to defeat the final boss. In Ranking Mode, players with broadband Internet access can use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service to compete with players from around the world. Enjoy an additional 100 rounds and face off against new boss characters by purchasing “Expert Mode 1” and “Expert Mode 2” add-on content.

Adventure Island The Beginning (Hudson Entertainment, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Cartoon Violence and Comic Mischief, 800 Wii Points): Adventure Island The Beginning comes to the Wii console with exciting new skills and elements. Learn how to use new skills while exploring Adventure Island from coast to coast. Search for Golden Melons hidden throughout the stages and mini-games. When obtaining Golden Melons, you'll be able to purchase various items to help you on your adventure. These items can increase your attack power or enable you to reach places you couldn't get to before. Fulfill certain requirements while playing in any of the modes to achieve a “Master Higgins Feat” and you'll be awarded a Master Higgins costume.

Virtual Console

Clay Fighter (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen – Comic Mischief and Mild Cartoon Violence, 800 Wii Points): In this zany 2-D fighter, it's just another day for a humble traveling circus troupe when a meteor crash-lands in their camp. The otherworldly orb, made entirely out of interstellar clay, contaminates all the circus employees, turning them into bizarrely superpowered versions of themselves. Choose from among the unique clay creatures, such as Bonker, the cheerfully manic clown, or Blue Suede Goo, the mild-mannered Elvis impersonator turned violent vocalist. Master their “Claytalities,” like the operatic Helga's deadly high note and Bad Mr. Frosty's fists of snowball fury!

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.