Raunchy Fuel Girls help FUEL video game launch

Codemasters' FUEL Burns Up XFM's Breakfast Show With Surprise Appearance By The Raunchy Fuel Girls

To celebrate the launch today of FUEL for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Codemasters enrolled the services of the Fuel Girls to spread the word about the game that sets the new standard in open-world racing. The globe-trotting, fire-breathing, stunt-driving divas burnt up the airwaves this morning on XFM London 104.9's Breakfast Show, providing one lucky listener with the chance of winning a PlayStation 3 and a copy of FUEL on Ian Camfield's "Hard Rock" quiz.

Built on ground-breaking technology developed by Asobo Studio, FUEL’s huge world is one of atmospheric beauty and awe-inspiring size, fully open to race and explore. This unprecedented racing playground features dramatic weather effects, including tornados, blizzards, sandstorms and lightning, a full day / night cycle and enormous environmental diversity, from the snow-capped dormant volcano Mount Rainier to the arid Grand Canyon and everything in between.

FUEL’s free-roaming nature allows gamers to pick and choose their route, races and career progression while extensive multiplayer options allow up to 16 players to race against each other in pre-set events, explore the world in free ride or create their own challenges and share them online.

FUEL is set to become the ultimate racing sandbox when it launches Friday June 5th for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® with a Games For Windows® edition to follow. Prepare for a FUEL injection by downloading gameplay videos at www.fuel-game.com.

BioShock 2 video game E3 Fact Sheet

Step back into the unforgettable world of Rapture in BioShock 2, the next installment in the franchise that has won more than 50 Game of the Year Awards and has sold more than 2.5 million units worldwide. Developed by 2K Marin, 2K Australia and Digital Extremes, BioShock 2 provides players with the perfect blend of explosive first person shooter combat, compelling storytelling and intense multiplayer to form one of 2009’s most highly anticipated titles.

Storyline:

Set approximately 10 years after the events of the original BioShock, the halls of Rapture once again echo with sins of the past. Along the Atlantic coastline, a monster has been snatching little girls and bringing them back to the undersea city of Rapture. You are the very first Big Daddy as you travel through the decrepit and beautiful fallen city, chasing an unseen foe in search of answers and your own survival.

Multiplayer in BioShock 2 provides a rich prequel experience that expands the award winning BioShock gameplay. Set during the fall of Rapture, players assume the role of a Plasmid test subject in the underwater city that was first explored in the original BioShock. Players will need to use all the elements of the game’s toolset to survive as the full depth of the BioShock experience is refined and transformed into a unique multiplayer experience that can only be found in Rapture.

Singleplayer Features:

* Evolution of the Genetically Enhanced Shooter: Innovative advances bring new depth and dimension to each encounter. New elements, such as the ability to dual-wield weapons and Plasmids, allow players to create exciting combinations of punishment
* Return to Rapture: Set approximately 10 years after the events of the original BioShock, the story continues with an epic, more intense journey through one of the most captivating and terrifying fictional worlds ever created
* You Are the Big Daddy: Take control of BioShock’s signature and iconic symbol with the original prototype Big Daddy, and experience the power and raw strength of Rapture’s most feared denizens as you battle powerful new enemies
* Continuation of the Award-Winning Narrative: New and unique storytelling devices serve as the vehicle for the continuation of one of gaming’s most acclaimed storylines


Multiplayer Features:

* Genetically Enhanced Multiplayer – Earn experience points during gameplay to earn access to new Weapons, Plasmids and Tonics that can be used to create hundreds of different combinations, allowing players to develop a unique character that caters to their playing style.
* Experience Rapture’s Civil War– Players will step into the shoes of Rapture citizens and take direct part in the civil war that tore Rapture apart.
* See Rapture Before the Fall – Experience Rapture before it was reclaimed by the ocean and engage in combat over iconic environments in locations such as Kashmir Restaurant and Mercury Suites, all of which have been reworked from the ground up for multiplayer.
* FPS Veterans Add Their Touch to the Multiplayer Experience – Digital Extremes brings more than 10 years of first person shooter experience including development of award-winning entries in the Unreal® and Unreal Tournament franchise.

Disney's A Christmas Carol video game E3 Fact Sheet

Inspired by the Dickens tale re-imagined by Robert Zemeckis, Disney’s A Christmas Carol is an innovative puzzle-adventure game celebrating the spirit of the holidays with a Scrooge twist. The game invites a new generation to connect with the illustrious story & characters like never before and is sure to become a tradition embraced by the whole family. This keepsake from the movie will provide hours of festive entertainment and is destined to be an instant classic.

Key Features

* Manipulate Scrooge’s environments to guide him on his supernatural adventure
* Blow and shout into the microphone and use the DS stylus to pull, shake, drag, rattle and tap Scrooge’s world and influence game play
* Experience immersive animated cutscenes that unfold like an interactive story book with amazing beauty and detail
* Interact with your favorite characters from the film, including Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Mr Fezziwig, Marley and the three spirits of Christmas
* Use the real-time advent calendar to unlock surprises for everyday that you play leading up to Christmas
* Sing carols, decorate with holiday ornaments, and cook recipes from the Victorian era
* Master over 10 single-player mini-games, plus join a friend for a “pass the DS” multiplayer game

11-time NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers as Cover Athlete for NBA 2K10

Award-winning film director Spike Lee partners with 2K Sports for NBA 2K10 reveal commercial

2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two, announced today that 11-time NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, will be featured as the cover athlete and spokesman for the highly anticipated basketball video game, NBA 2K10.

After leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a remarkable 65-17 regular season record, Bryant’s star power was a natural fit for the 10th anniversary of the hugely popular NBA 2K franchise, the #1 selling basketball video game* and No1 rated NBA simulation **.

“I’ve been playing sports video games for as long as I can remember and honestly, I’ve never seen one come so close to replicating real basketball. What 2K Sports has done is truly incredible and I’m proud to be a partner with them and on the cover of NBA 2K10,” said Bryant, currently seeking his fourth career NBA championship. “2K Sports is constantly improving and adding something new to their game every year that makes them better and better, and that’s exactly what I try to do each season with my game. It’s as if 2K Sports has been on a sports video game championship run for several years now, and I’m not even sure there’s a word for that kind of dominance.”

To support this announcement, 2K Sports brought on legendary, award-winning film director and die-hard New York Knicks fan, Spike Lee, to produce an exclusive TV spot that aired last night to reveal Kobe Bryant as the cover athlete for NBA 2K10. Lee, who recently directed the highly publicized documentary on Kobe Bryant, Kobe Doin’ Work (ESPN Films), is famously known for his intense love and passion for the game of basketball.

“It's quite obvious why 2K Sports put Kobe Bryant on the cover of NBA 2K10, which is the best NBA video game,” said Lee, whose recent documentary on Bryant has earned high praise. “One day Kobe and I will go 1 on 1 playing NBA 2K10.”

In conjunction with the reveal of Bryant as the cover athlete for NBA 2K10, 2K Sports will invite fans to vote on their choice for the official box cover. A dedicated voting site will offer fans a selection of NBA 2K10 box covers to choose from, and the voting period is open now through June 15. The box cover that receives the most votes at the end of the voting period will be unveiled as the cover of NBA 2K10 on June 16th. More information on voting can be found at the official NBA 2K10 voting site, www.2ksports.com/vote.

Bryant’s star power was evident at an early age when he was drafted out of high school in 1996 from Lower Merion HS (PA). He is widely regarded as one of the best players in NBA history. Given the nickname “Black Mamba,” Bryant has won three NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, was named the Most Valuable Player in the 2007-08 NBA season, and most recently, won a gold medal as a member of the 2008 Summer Olympics U.S. Men’s Basketball Team. During his career, Bryant has also led the league in scoring twice, and has been elected to every All-NBA team since 1999, along with being named to nine All-Defensive teams. Since his second year in the league, Bryant has started in every NBA All-Star Game that has been hosted, including winning the All-Star MVP award in 2002, 2007, and 2009.

Developed by Visual Concepts, NBA 2K10 is not yet rated by the ESRB and will be available this fall for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, Nintendo Wii system from Nintendo, and Windows PC.

The Princess and The Frog video game E3 fact sheet

For the first time players can experience Tiana’s exciting world set in the jazz-infused era of 1920’s New Orleans with the official video game inspired by the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures release of The Princess and the Frog. Celebrate favorite moments from the movie and take on new challenges with Tiana, as she pursues her dreams in a fun adventure. Meet favorite characters from the film and new friends, triumph over enemies, play frog games in the bayou, create music, cook New Orleans style and so much more. Along the way, discover what it takes to make Tiana’s dreams come true!

Nintendo Wii™ Key Features

* 30 replayable Wii-exclusive mini-games for 1-4 players
* Play & move to music, cook New Orleans cuisine, and try on multiple outfits with Tiana & her friends
* Collect Mardi Gras beads to trade for new dresses, fabrics, ingredients and recipes
* Explore quest hubs with drop-in/drop-out Multiplayer
* Discover five beautiful New Orleans hub locations including the French Quarter and the Bayou
* Have fun with eight playable characters and multiple NPCs

Nintendo DS™ Key Features

* Play as Tiana and Ray and master the art of platforming as you swing, jump and soar to new heights
* Explore 27 beautiful levels set in New Orleans and the Bayou
* Go on special quests to find and collect items & ingredients and outsmart enemies along the way
* Cook New Orleans cuisine in multiple activities and discover real recipes
* Perform music with 1-4 players and save tunes in the game’s jukebox
* Use Ray’s special abilities to fly through the Bayou
* Includes DGamer™ - the online community exclusively for Disney gamers. Customize unique 3-D avatar, create a persistent profile, chat with friends, share “Princess and the Frog" themed accessories, earn in-game honors and unlock exclusive Disney content

Inferno Pool video game coming to PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE

A debut gameplay trailer has been released for Inferno Pool during E3 2009 showcasing the revolutionary new gameplay concept of this brand new PSN / XBLA title. This isn’t Pool as you know it; this is multiplayer mayhem for 1-4 players simultaneously fighting for victory. Alliances will be formed, friends will be betrayed, and the battle isn’t over until the stat screen appears.



With a simple control scheme and silky smooth arcade gameplay, Inferno Poolis easy to pick up and play, while offering tonnes of depth to have serious gamerspulling off outrageous skill shots and unleashing the power of Inferno Mode.

“Just like all the great ‘one more go’ games, it comes straight from the ‘why didn’t I think of that’ drawer.” - PS3Attitude.com

The game includes classic 8 ball and 9 ball Pool modes for 1-2 players, but the real star of the show is the original Inferno Pool mode, where 1-4 local or online players pot as quickly as they can to clear their tables, while firing their potted balls to opponents tables, or stockpiling them for a later onslaught.

“Whether or not you like and indeed play pool, this game will still provide you with an unrivalled amount of multiplayer mayhem and competitive fun” –
TheSixthAxis.com

Crazy skill shots such as Multiball, Combo, Kick, Bank and Jump Shots rack up skill points which fill players Inferno Meters. When full this unleashes the devastation of Inferno Mode, where flames fly out of pockets and potting power is doubled.

“The physics are spot on, the controls are super simple yet extremely satisfying and the framerate is consistently 60FPS.” - PushSquare.com

The game also includes a punishing Endurance Mode where players battle to pot against the clock, scalable AI opponents, stunning 60fps HD graphics, online leaderboards and challenging trophies / achievements.

“We have a feeling that, no matter what the social occasion in the future, Inferno Pool will be making an appearance. And we can’t think of a better recommendation than that.” - PS3Attitude.com

“It is an essential purchase from the Playstation Network Store and a demonstration of the quality we should now come to expect from Dark Energy Digital.”
- TheSixthAxis.com: 9/10

Inferno Pool is available now on PSN in PAL territories, and will launch shortly on PSN in NTSC regions and on XBLA.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen released on 19th June, 2009

Activision is recruiting gamers to join the battle for world domination in the Battle for the AllSpark V2 web game, launching today at www.TransformersGame.com, the official web site of the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game, developed under license from Hasbro, Inc. Fans that answer the call can join the AUTOBOTS or DECEPTICONS and compete in real time challenges online against other players worldwide, for control of the AllSpark and the fate of the world.

Players create their very own Transformers character, customising the character to suit their playing style. Players then battle online in this game of strategy, choosing from a number of attacks and defences in real time, round-by-round combat. In addition, secret codes that allow players to upgrade their characters will be hidden online.

“The Battle for the AllSpark V2 delivers even more challenges and fun than before for our ever-growing and fervent Transformers gaming community that spawned in 2007 – we are thrilled to invite fans to join the battle again and immerse themselves in the universe prior to the official Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen game launch on June 26th,” said Rob Kostich, head of marketing for licensed properties, Activision Publishing, Inc. “In Battle for the AllSpark V2, players can play as an AUTOBOT or a DECEPTICON, picking their favourite character and customising their abilities on their way to global domination online.”

The Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game is based on the upcoming live-action feature film from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures in association with Hasbro, which opens nationwide on 19th June 2009.* The game lets players take on the role of their favourite AUTOBOTS or DECEPTICONS, picking from the largest, most diverse range of playable Transformers – each with their own distinct abilities and weaponry. Set in unique environments across the globe such as Cairo and Shanghai, the game allows players to instantly switch between vehicle and robot modes as they drive, fly, fight and blast their way through intense, pressure-packed levels. After engaging in single player action players, for the first time ever, will be able to go online and battle friends in all-new multiplayer modes.

The Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game is currently in development by Luxoflux for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the Windows PC version is being developed by Beenox Studios, the distinct Wii™ and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system versions are being developed by Krome Studios and the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system version is being developed by Savage Entertainment. All platforms are rated BBFC PG. Two unique AUTOBOT® and DECEPTICON®-specific Nintendo DS™ versions are being developed by Vicarious Visions and are rated PEGI 7+.

Icy Tower Video game version 1.4 released

Free Lunch Design, the company behind the Internet cult hit Icy Tower today released Icy Tower 1.4. What might seem like an indie release is actually an eagerly anticipated title. The game’s fan base has steadily grown from a handful of enthusiasts to a large international following.

“Currently, the game Icy Tower 1.3.1 is downloaded at least 10 000 times every 24 hours. With the release of Icy Tower 1.4 we are certain the numbers will double” says original creator, Johan Peitz.

Icy Tower 1.4 includes new gorgeous graphics, customizable game play, user profiles and the possibility for users to create their own characters. Currently, the game has over 200 000 Facebook fans, hundreds of user generated videos on Youtube and even several European national teams.
The game can be downloaded from the site www.icytower.com which opened today.

Obscure - The Aftermath video game for the PSP go System

Experience grisly monsters, spectacular powers and mysterious battles 'on the go' this fall!

Playlogic, an independent worldwide publisher of entertainment software, announced today that the grisly survival teen horror title Obscure: The Aftermath is coming to the PSP go Portable Game System and will be available for download when the system launches this fall.

“We are thrilled that this critically acclaimed title will be available for the PSPgo when the system makes it debut,” said Rogier Smit, Executive Vice President of Playlogic. “Our talented team has crafted the game to fit the unique co-op capabilities and controls of the PSPgo while also maintaining the exciting gameplay and stunning graphics featured in the original console versions.”

Obscure: The Aftermath, the sequel to 2005’s acclaimed survival horror game Obscure, picks up two years after the terrible events at Leafmore High, following the few teens who survived being trapped inside their school, hunted by monsters and their maniac headmaster. Hoping to put the past behind them, the kids start college at Fallcreek University, but soon discover all is not well as strange black flowers appear all over campus. While experimenting with these flowers, a dangerous substance is discovered that induces hauntingly vivid dreams. Soon the survivors find themselves fighting for their lives—and their sanity—as their nightmares become a horrible reality.

Game features include: Six individually developed characters, all with their own unique skills; Unique co-op mode; second player can join in or drop out at any time; Highly detailed and rich 3D environment; Huge variety of weapons and horrifying monsters; Stunning soundtrack performed by the Boston String Quartet and the Paris Opera’s Children’s choir; User accessible playlist of the musical tracks and FMV cutscenes; Stunning storyboard, artwork and concept art galleries.

Obscure: The Aftermath is rated “M” for mature by the ESRB.

Is Left for Dead 2 sequel just 'in it' for the money?

Only recently announced at E3 a few days ago, Left 4 Dead 2 is already causing a stir amongst fans who feel let down by Valve, the development team behind the original and the upcoming sequel. A group of boycotters claim that this sequel is nothing more than a money grabbing opportunity through the success of the original Left 4 Dead game released only 6 months ago.


The group known as ‘L4D2 Boycott (NO-L4D2)’ have set up a protest on the Valve Steam-Software social network system to bring awareness to Valve’s False Promises which the group have also highlighted their issues:

* Significant content for L4D1 was promised, and never delivered.
* Valve put little faith in L4D1 since they almost certainly started working on L4D2 right after release.
* The fact that L4D2 is nearly identical to L4D1 will decimate the community for both games.
* The announced date is not nearly enough time to polish content or make significant gameplay changes.
* The new character designs seem bland and unappealing so far.
* L4D2 is too bright to fit in with L4D1’s visual aesthetic.
* The fiddle-based horde music is extremely disliked, though the differently orchestrated music is otherwise welcome.
* L4D2’s release will result in a drop in quality and frequency for L4D1 content, even compared to before.
* The community has lost faith in Valve’s former reputation for commitment to their games post-release.

The group currently has almost 4500 members and is expecting to increase these numbers as a protest against not only the lack of content promised for the original, but the quick release of the sequel. Do you think this group are justified in their angry claims at Valve, or should they move on and look forward to the sequel due out Nov 17th, which happens to be a year on from the original ‘Left 4 Dead’ release anyway?

Source: xboxic