Alien RPG (Role Playing Game) has been cancelled

Obsidian (the developers) have posted this on their forum...

Rumors have circled around a bit regarding the fate of the Aliens role playing game that Obsidian and SEGA had been working on. Unfortunately, it is true that we are no longer working on the game, and we wanted to finally announce that officially to everyone who has been following its development. We’re going to keep this forum up for another week for archival purposes and to allow you guys to finish up any open threads, and then we will shut it down since it is no longer a product that is in development.

Other games go ahead...

Two other Alien games will go ahead say Sega - Alien v Predator 3 and Aliens - Colonial Marines both FPS titles for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.



Alien v Predator 3

Is video game music appreciated enough?

We gamers are a lucky generation of people; we are witnessing evolution. Games are evolving right before our very eyes. We have witnessed the simple graphics of Pong evolve into the beautifully detailed environments of Uncharted and Crysis.

We even watched the simple, yet highly addictive, gameplay of Tetris evolve into finely tuned games like Modern Warfare and LittleBigPlanet. Even the story telling in games has evolved into plots that equal, and in some cases better, their Hollywood counterparts.

But perhaps the most unappreciated improvement in my eyes has been the soundtracks that have accompanied the games.

Read full post here on Kokugamer

Suikoden Tierkeis Nintendo DS video game

We all know the DS has a ton of great RPG’s to play. Suikoden Tierkreis is one of the new entries into the great RPG’s on the DS. I dare say that it’s in my favourite RPG this year on a handheld device.

The story revolves around your character (in game you are referred to as him regardless of what you name your character) Running into some soldiers trying to take over your town. You fend them off and start to find out who they really are, The Order. The Order believes in the One True Way in which that everything in life has already been determined and you cannot change it. They want people to worship the One King and follow a predetermined path for the rest of their lives. Well our hero and his friends don’t like that idea so they set forth to stop The Order and the One King. There are books called The False Chronicles you come across that grants certain people with the Mark Of The Stars. This unlocks what essentially is magic in the game. You soon realize that The Order is trying to collect them all to use to summon the One King to their world and you have to beat them to it. The story progresses easily and flows well enough to keep you engaged for the 30+ hours you will be playing the main story. The voice acting is terrible but still doesn’t get in the way of the story itself.

The graphics are very lush and easy on the eyes. I was amazed at the detail this game has. One of the best looking games on the DS in awhile. The soundtrack is ok but the music at the Castle/Fortress is kinda annoying unless you like Irish music.

The gameplay mechanics are pretty good overall. Moving around in areas are smooth and its not hard to get around finding where you need to go. The game has an overworld map that makes it easy to travel to other places once you have been there at least once. Menu systems are a little clunky and hard to navigate. Also, the way it handles weapons/armor when buying it sucks. It’s hard to tell if it boosts or lowers your stats. You basically have to remember what your stats are and see if the number is higher in the item you are trying to replace. Battling is your typical turn based style system in any basic RPG.

I didn’t find the game too challenging until the last part of the game which is a shame but the story is good enough for you to forget that and have fun throughout. The big thing about Suikoden games is that you can recruit 108 people on your team. This game has a cool way of finding the ones that you don’t find automatically in the main storyline. There are jobs that you can do throughout the game that can earn you money and sometimes special items. These jobs also unlock characters to add to your party. Some are easy to figure out, others are next to impossible without some sort of guide. The game makes you level up most of your characters by forcing you to make 2 or 3 parties of 4 characters in certain parts of the game. I like that for the reason being that you don’t just level up 4 guys and leave the rest to get drunk at the bar alone and sad. Getting some of the more powerful characters through the job system would help you out a lot with this but is not necessary.

This game has enough detail, depth, and story to keep you engaged for the 30+ hours it will take you to complete the game. If you are looking for a RPG to have tons of fun with, pick Suikoden Tierkreis up now. You owe it to yourself to play a wonderful RPG this year on the DS.

$30 out of $35

Battlefield Heroes video game

Battlefield: Heroes is a free online-only, advertising supported 3rd person shooter with optional micro payments for customizing the appearance of your character. Basically, EA is applying the Free MMO approach to a persistent online shooter. I’ve been playing the beta for some time, and its a really easy install via a web browser, (both IE and Firefox were tested, and works with both) and the game works swimmingly.

Game play:

The Battlefield: Heroes pits the The National Army and The Royal Army in a cel-shaded WW-II style war. There are 3 classes, taking 5 core class types and squeezing them into the following 3:

Soldier: The ‘normal’ class that’s equal parts medic and commander.

The Gunner: (aka The Heavy): The big dude with a big gun and higher defense.

The Commando: Equal parts sniper and special forces.

The core game is the traditional Battlefield conquest mode, where each side starts with 50 points and one flag/spawn point, and you battle to gain the other points on the map. You can’t pick your spawn point like the full Battlefield games, instead the server automatically spawns you close to the action.

All the traditional mainstays of Battlefield are here. Squad-based game play, large maps, vehicles, its everything you expect and are accustomed to, just 3rd person. Aiming is a bit odd till you get the hang of it, and then you’ll easily be popping off head shots. Vehicles control smoothly, but if you’re flying an airplane, I suggest you use a joystick.

The weapons and other gameplay-affecting upgrades are earned via a mission system where you compete for badges, and the points that you are rewarded can be used to buy different customizations and weapons.

Hardware Requirements:

Battlefield: Heroes is pretty light on the hardware requirements, especially since its launched from a web browser, it’s meant to be able to pick up and play whenever you have a free moment:

* Operating system: Windows XP or Windows Vista
* CPU: Intel Pentium 4/AMD Athlon 1.0 GHz
* RAM: 512 MB (1Gb on Windows Vista)
* Video Card: 64MB DirectX compliant video card, Pixel Shader 2.0 and above. (AGP and PCIe only)
* Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible
* Hard Drive space: 1Gb of space is required to install the game
* Internet connection: 256kbit Cable/DSL connection

Microtransactions:

In Battlefield: Heroes, you can buy what EA is calling “battlefunds” points you can earn otherwise from just playing the game.

You can use them to purchase (right from the FAQ):

* Level up faster, get Valor Points (VP) faster
* Get new clothes to create a unique hero
* Buy ultra exclusive limited-edition items
* Get special emotes to taunt your enemies

This is the sort of thing that could cause a lot of trouble if implemented improperly, but EA has promised not to sell anything that would upset the balance of the game, such as weapons and equipment, avoiding the whole haves/has not thing. We’ll see how all that turns out, but for now, things seem fair. The one thing I don’t really like is the paying for leveling up.

Source: Hand Held Heroes

Street Fighter II Turbo Remix HD Video game trailers

One of the most popular games of the early '90s is reborn! Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, originally developed by Capcom for the arcade, makes its downloadable debut on the Xbox LIVE Arcade and PLAYSTATION Network. Capcom will maintain the integrity of the popular game by utilizing the original game code while upgrading the graphics with new artwork and high resolution 1080p images.

Round One...



Round Two...



Final Round...



Again, all of the art, from character animation to stage backgrounds, will be completely redrawn by Udon Entertainment, the company responsible for the US Street Fighter series of comics. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix will include both online and offline competition for one or two players.

Key features

• All new 1080p high-definition art for Street Fighter characters and backgrounds created by Udon Entertainment, creators of the Street Fighter comic books
• Features all 17 of the original Super Street Fighter II Turbo characters including Ryu, Guile, M. Bison and Akuma
• New optional "Rebalanced" Mode: massive changes across the board to all Street Fighter characters as created and tested by some the world's top-ranked professional Street Fighter players
• One to two player head-to-head play either offline or online
- Single player vs. CPU
- Player vs. player over the same console
- Player vs. player online
• Training mode helps fighters hone their skills
• Improved network code for the best possible online fighting game experience
• Numerous online features:
- In-game voice chatting between players
- Matchmaking flexibility through multiple options
- Personal and friends statistics tracking
- Quarter Match Mode this spectator-based system allows online competitors (2 competitors and up to 4 spectators) to use a "virtual quarter" to "buy into" heated two player matches
- Comprehensive worldwide rankings and leader boards by character - tracks overall wins and losses, number of throws, perfects, highest combos and more
• Widescreen support with option to select classic 4:3 mode for SF purists
• Choose from either classic Super Street Fighter II Turbo music or optional newly remixed tunes

Tamagotchi Connexion for Nintendo DS

NAMCO BANDAI Games’ Tamagotchi Connexion - Corner Shop 3 for the Nintendo DS. Available in Europe from October 2008, Tamagotchi Connexion: Corner Shop 3 will feature the most well-stocked store lineup to date, with 13 brand new shops to run and expand, a park to design and visit, and the ability to trade journals with your friends via Wi-Fi.

Business in Tamagotchi Town is booming, and over a dozen new shops have moved in. Help manage these brand new shops and keep customers coming back for more. When the work day is done, relax in your very own park that you\’ve created. You can write in your journal to record the day’s events, and share items and journals with your friends over Wi-Fi.

Tamagotchi Connexion: Corner Shop 3 introduces players to the responsibilities of running a successful businesses in a fun and creative way. Key game features include:

• All New Stores: Find over a dozen brand new stores to run! Bake fresh bread at the Bakery, plan a party at the Event Coordinator shop, or scoop ice cream at the Ice Cream Parlor. Combine and upgrade stores to keep happy customers coming back for more.

• Create Your Own Park: Create a relaxing and fun park to hang out with friends and chat with other Tamagotchis. Decorate your park with fountains, gardens and other items to be discovered. Come back often to see how your park has changed.

• More Characters: The popular Violetchi joins in on the fun with Mametchi, Kuchipatchi and Memetchi to team up with players and help them run the best business they can.

• Connect With Friends: Share items and swap journals with friends via a wireless connection.

Tamagotchi Connexion: Corner Shop 3 is scheduled for European launch in October 2008.

Marvel v Capcom 2

Marvel VS Capcom 2 features the biggest roster of challengers to ever square off in a Capcom fighting game, a total of 56 combined brawlers from both the Capcom and Marvel universes. From the world of Capcom comes characters such as Ryu from the Street Fighter series, Jill Valentine from the Resident Evil games and unofficial company mascot Mega Man. Marvel is represented by some of its biggest names, including the Invincible Iron Man, Captain America, the Sentinel of Liberty, and War Machine, Weapon of S.H.I.E.L.D. Players can mix and match from both worlds in order to create their own ideal three man/woman/robot/monster team-up.

Marvel VS Capcom 2 is designed to be a gateway for new players to experience the fun of fighting games while providing a deep system for hardcore fighting fans to dig into. Action is based around colorful, exaggerated attacks that include gigantic projectile attacks (such as Ryu's fireball or Dr. Doom's Plasma Beam) and high-flying aerial moves (like Spider-Man's Maximum Spider or Cammy's Killer Bee Attack). The controls are somewhat simplified from the classic six-button system at the heart of Capcom games like Street Fighter® IV, utilizing a four-button control scheme for the action, with two "assist" buttons that pull in your team members for additional support.
Due to the amazing combination of Marvel and Capcom characters and the game's celebrated fighting system and graphics, MvC2 has been a hotly sought-after title on the game collector's circuit. Previously owned copies for older game consoles have been demanding more than $100 in auctions and at specialty video game outlets. Now players who have been desperately searching out used copies of the game will be able to go hands-on and play online with the same great online experience from Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. Additionally, Capcom has added an optional advanced visual filter that improves the overall appearance of the game and added online modes, including Ranked Matches and the popular Player "Quarter" Match, that allows up to four people to watch and chat while two others are battling it out.
Key features
Features
• Over 50 characters from the Marvel and Capcom Universes!
• 3 on 3 tag-team matches
• New online matching mode, including Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix’s “Quarter Match” mode ; enjoy the arcade experience from your console
• New optional visual filter smoothes out the game’s graphics
• Four button controls introduce new players to fighting games; compatible with the Mad Catz Street Fighter IV joysticks and Fight Pad
• Available for the first time via digital distribution on Xbox LIVE Arcade and the PlayStation Network

Raven Squad - tactical action game set in the Amazonian jungles - Fact Sheet PC video game

Raven Squad is a tactical action game set in the Amazonian jungles that seamlessly blends a first person shooter (FPS) experience with the command and overview advantages of real-time strategy (RTS). Players can switch genres on the fly and solve each tactical situation using their own combination by themselves or cooperatively with a friend.

Features

• Set in the Amazon in the year 2011, players will experience lush jungle visuals, haunting ambient sounds, weather changes, and an enemy on their home turf

• Featuring the best of both worlds, Raven Squad has both FPS and RTS gameplay combined for a blazing action experience

• A co-operative campaign that allows players to take control of a squad and play through the entire game with a friend online

• 6 characters with their own unique backgrounds, personalities, behaviors, weapons and skills

Name: Raven Squad
Publisher: SouthPeak Games
Developer: Atomic Motion
Platforms: Xbox 360, PC
Genre: First Person Shooter (FPS)/Real-Time Strategy (RTS)
Release Date: Fall 2009
Multiplayer: Yes

Section 8 - large-scale, sci-fi first person shooter Fact sheet

Section 8 is a large-scale, sci-fi first person shooter where fast-paced action meets military strategy in the far reaches of the galaxy. Join the epic battle between the 8th Armored Infantry and the Arm of Orion by taking part in fierce squad-based combat across majestic alien worlds.

Choose the experience you want to play by customizing your own equipment Loadouts, and dynamically manipulate the flow of combat with on-demand vehicle requisitions, strategic asset deliveries, and Dynamic Combat Missions.

On a completely player-driven and dynamic battlefield, no two games of Section 8 will ever play the same.

Features

• Play in Single Player Campaign, Online Multiplayer, or Instant Action on all of the multiplayer maps against a robust and competitive AI.
• No more classes, completely customize the Loadouts of weapons, gear, and passive module upgrades for your powered armor suit.
• Burn-In Spawning deploys from dropships 15,000 feet above the battlefield, and choose anywhere on the map to land.
• Dynamic Combat Missions (DCMs) offer a robust player-driven objective system, allowing for dynamically generated missions during the course of combat.
• Vehicle and Deployable Requisition can be delivered anywhere on the map.

GAME TITLE: Section 8
GENRE: First Person Shooter
PLATFORMS: PC, Xbox 360
RELEASE: August 2009
ONLINE: Yes

Mindemia releases Room Boom - Suburbia! Free demo

Mindemia today released its family friendly, house building board- and puzzle game, Room Boom: Suburbia. In Room Boom: Suburbia, players try to gain control over a suburban neighborhood by building and selling houses. Anything from hiring corrupt demonstrators to leveling opponents houses to the ground is allowed in the way to victory!

Room Boom: Suburbia blends puzzle action with a multiplayer board game in a unique way, suitable both for a gathering of friends or family, as well as single player sessions against computer controlled opponents. The game is currently available for Windows, with more languages and Mac and Linux support coming soon.

Go to the web site to learn more and to download the free demo:
http://www.roomboomsuburbia.com