First Open Beta Test for Sudden Attack, Korea's No. 1 Online free-to-play First Person Shooter

Beginning July 28 Fans Can Wreak Havoc with the Game's Most Powerful Weapon Yet in the New Map, StormVille

Runes of Magic launches open beta in France and Spain

Frogster’s French and Spanish Runes of Magic server is open for all players as of now. With the launch of the open beta test, MMO-interested French and Spanish players can now explore the already integrated content of the online fantasy world in their own native languages.PEGI: 12+


Following the successful shutdown of the closed beta, the servers today go back up on the net for the deciding test phase. A brief registration procedure on the official Spanish (http://www.runesofmagic.com/es/) and French (http://www.runesofmagic.com/fr/) web pages is all that is required to take part in the open beta. All adventurers who are already active in the game will keep their accounts. The download of the software is of course free of charge. Frogster will use the time leading up to the official live operation in September to optimise the localisation. A so-called ‘wipe’ – a deleting of avatars – of characters created during the open beta test will not take place.

“We are completely satisfied with the development of Runes of Magic in Spain and France,” commented Daniel Ullrich, Director of Product Management, on the closed beta’s previous performance. Above all, the key aspect of localization is progressing according to plan: “A large part of the game has already been translated for the launch of the open beta,” said Localization Manager Konstantin Drewitz: “We are optimistic that we can offer Runes of Magic as a completely localized version for the release in September.”



Runes of Magic – a world full of wizardry and adventure
The German and English versions of Runes of Magic were released on 19 March 2009. Anyone can download the online role-playing game for free at: www.runesofmagic.com and can plunge into the game world after a short registration process.

With an extensive range of features, Runes of Magic is redefining the standard for free-to-play massively multiplayer online role playing games. Runes of Magic features an absorbing story through more than 1,600 quests, in a vibrant fantasy world. Players can choose from six main classes, combined with a secondary class, presenting 30 individual combinations of character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts like war horses and more.

A particularly attractive feature is the ability for players and guilds to arrange and furnish their virtual homes. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, exciting PvP and demanding dungeons and boss monsters, there is something for everyone.

Taiwanese developer Runewaker developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards over three years. The studio is providing new challenges for players every four to five months with free add-ons and updates. You can find more information, pictures, videos, and the game available for free download via the official website: www.runesofmagic.com.

Features
• Free-to-play: no monthly fees, free download
• Extensive dual class system (six primary and secondary classes)
• Versatile spell and attack combinations
• Enthralling background story
• More than 1,600 quests and quest series
• No zone boundaries thanks to seamless architecture
• Dungeons: Instanced, tile based, and persistent
• Individually developable skills and spells
• Armour sets with special bonuses
• Dynamic item system with hundreds of runes for upgrading
• Optional PvP system with arena battles
• Ranking system with player-ranking lists
• Multitude of unique mounts
• Epic crafting system with the ability to improve existing items
• Personalization of player houses through individual furnishing
• Reputation system
• Customisable user interface with the option to use Add-Ons
• Map and radar system to easily find dealers, resources and quests
• In-game auction houses for trading items
• Teleport-Runes for instant travel
• Mouse and keyboard controls for movement
• Regular updates with new content
• Guild castles in special zones
• Cross-server fights in three-server-battle and guild wars in development

Facts
Title: Runes of Magic
Genre: Fantasy MMORPG
Platform: Windows PC
Publisher: Frogster Online Gaming
Developer: Runewaker Entertainment Ltd.
Release: 19 March 2009

Nintendo Wii Sports Resort video game reviews

Wii Sports Resort is more than just a game: it's the sequel to the phenomenally successful Wii Sports, and marks the debut of Nintendo's MotionPlus accessory.

The original Wii Sports was a fantastic introduction to the concept of motion controls. Think about it: the Wii Remote was a radical departure from established video game controllers and without the butter smooth motion control experience of Wii Sports to light the way, the whole experiment could have easily back-fired. Of course, the game is also ridiculously fun and still stands as the quintessential Nintendo Wii experience.

Which is why a retail sequel makes so much sense. But rather than being just a simple follow up, Wii Sports Resort faces its own monumental task: familiarise Wii owners with the new MotionPlus accessory and convince them to buy yet another Wii Remote attachment. Easy enough, right?

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Wii Sports Resort: Like the real thing

Actually it is because, much like its predecessor, Wii Sports Resort makes it largely effortless for anyone to jump into one of the 12 included mini-games, and although every single game doesn't justify the use (or requirement) of the included MotionPlus adaptor, the ones that do offer a very positive advertisement for not only the accessory but the potential future of gaming on the Wii.

What makes MotionPlus so compelling is the way it enhances each mini-game; at its best, it allows you to forget that you're simply holding a piece of plastic. Each slight movement of the Wii Remote is replicated on screen, whether it's a table tennis paddle or sword in your hand. The added accuracy lets you focus on the actual motions and it adds a nice touch of realism to the experience.

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Of course, you'll still have to overcome the urge to focus on the visual representation of your actions and instead simply play like you would in real life. Resort's visual style may be eye pleasing, but following the on-screen images isn't always the best way to play.

For instance, while playing Frisbee Dog, I found myself putting up much better scores when I stopped focusing on the angle at which my Mii was holding the disc and simply motioned like I was tossing the real thing.

The same held true in Table Tennis, an improved version of the mini-game seen in Wii Play: the less I worried about the on-screen position of the paddle, the better I seemed to play. It works against many of the traditional notions we have about playing games, but it proves to be a very intuitive way to play, and both aforementioned mini-games are among the best in the package.

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Also of note are the Swordplay games. Wanna-be Jedis should be excited as Resort finally proves that a lightsaber-focused Star Wars game (or any sword-based game, for that matter) is a real possibility on the Wii. Split between duels, adventure-like Showdown stages (in which you take down waves of foes), and a Speed Slice mode where you chop up everyday items as indicated by the screen, these games finally give you nearly full 1:1 control.

It's no exaggeration to say that the standard for melee-based action games has been set and any future game that doesn't support MotionPlus will immediately be seen as a disappointment.

The MotionPlus attachment also improves the Bowling and Golf events, both of which are holdovers from the first game. The attachment gives you greater control over the spin and release of your bowling ball, making an already sharp mini-game even better. Golf has a more robust feel this time around, with nine new holes (for 18 total) and additional shot options, though it's still tough to gauge the strength of your shot, especially while putting or chipping in.

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Many of the other games make less of an impact, whether due to uninteresting gameplay or the lack of MotionPlus implementation. Wakeboarding and Power Cruising (jet ski racing) are both decent water-based events, but neither offers a particularly compelling experience. The Basketball games lack a realistic throwing motion, but the Three-Point Contest remains a decent diversion; the Pickup Game mode is just a poorly realised imitation of the real thing, however.

The Air Sports (skydiving and sightseeing/dueling in airplanes) are pleasant, relaxing counterparts to the more active events, but the remaining games, Cycling and Canoeing, both come across as Wii Fit castoffs, with constant, tiring motions and lengthy challenges.

As with its predecessor, Wii Sports Resort is best experienced with local pals (up to four players in most games), though the score-based challenges mean events like bowling, archery, and Frisbee Dog hold up well with repeated solo play.

Still, it's tough to justify the lack of online play modes or even leaderboards, especially since the game has some online implementation via the excellent option to automatically download top user-created Miis from the Check Mii Out channel for opponents and bystanders. This alone is enough to ding the overall score.

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But even without that crucial feature, Wii Sports Resort still feels like an accomplishment, not only because it offers a fun and accessible experience built around the MotionPlus attachment, but because it may very well renew optimism in those jaded by the lacklustre motion controls seen over the last couple years. It's a very strong follow-up to the original and I can only hope that upcoming titles will build on the momentum that Resort has generated.

Source: PC Advisor

DJ Jazzy Jeff Brings the DJ Hero Party to Life With His Turntable Skills and Likeness - with video

DJ Jazzy Jeff, GRAMMY Award winning hip-hop and R&B record producer, actor and world famous turntablist will ascend to the virtual stage this fall in Activision and Guitar Hero's highly anticipated video game DJ Hero. In addition to joining the distinguished rank of playable characters that will appear in the game, including DJ Shadow, DJ Z-Trip, Grandmaster Flash, DJ AM and others, DJ Jazzy Jeff will shake the room and bring the party to life with his own set list featuring two exclusive mixes hand created by the legend himself - Tears for Fears "Shout" v Eric B. & Rakim "Eric B. Is President" and LL Cool J "Rock the Bells" vs. The Aranbee Pop Symphony Orchestra "Bittersweet Symphony."



"I am very, very excited DJ culture is finally getting its due. To have a song in DJ Hero is a dream come true; to be a character someone can pick up the controller and select you and play is probably the biggest thing to happen to me in my career," said DJ Jazzy Jeff. "Music is so much a part of everyone's life, DJ Hero is going to appeal to almost everybody."



Expanding upon the revolutionary easy to pick up/challenging to master gameplay mechanics developed and refined in Guitar Hero, DJ Hero delivers an all-new interactive music experience that allows players to rule the party and not only experience, but to hear music in an all-new way. With over 100 individual songs, highlighted in over 80 unique never-before-released mixes that blend genres of music, including hip-hop, R&B, pop, rock and electronica, DJ Hero delivers the most diverse and international collection of music ever assembled in a music game by incorporating anthems from legendary artists. Created exclusively for DJ Hero, the turntable controller immerses fans into DJ culture and a sea of music as they utilize and master various DJ techniques including scratching, blending, cross fading and sampling, while leaving room for creative expression with a variety of effects and player chosen samples and scratches, transforming a face in the crowd into the life of the party.

DJ Hero is being developed by FreeStyleGames for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION 3 and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment systems and the Wii system from Nintendo.

Marvel v Capcom 2 video game spotlight Spiderman v Strider

Marvel v 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

Dissidia Final Fantasy video game information

Cosmos, the goddess of harmony. Chaos, the god of discord. Reigning from distant realms, the two gods had gathered warriors from all lands to lead them in savage war. Cosmos and Chaos were of equal strength. It was believed the conflict would last forever.

But the balance was broken. Those who answered Chaos's call created an inexhaustible force. And under vicious attack without relent, the warriors fighting for Cosmos started to fall one by one. The conflict that has continued for eons is now about to end in Chaos's favor. The world has been torn asunder, sinking into a vortex of disorder. As for the few surviving warriors their fates are about to be determined.

Assume the role of your favorite FINAL FANTASY characters thrown into an epic battle between light and darkness in this unique action game.

IL-2 Birds of Prey video game free Xbox 360 demo download

505 Games in collaboration with 1C Company have confirmed the date of the single player Xbox 360 demo for upcoming flight combat title IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds Of Prey. Gaijin Entertainment’s hotly anticipated WWII action simulator will get the demo treatment on Xbox LIVE Marketplace from 29th July, with the full release hitting UK shelves on 4th September for Xbox 360, PS3, PSP and Nintendo DS.

The IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds Of Prey demo will give players a taste of two of the game’s memorable conflict scenarios, The Battle of Britain and The Battle of the Bulge.

In Battle of Britain: Red Skies Over Dover, players are given the role of an RAF pilot commanding the legendary Mk. II Spitfire with B wing armament (two canons, four machine guns). What starts off as a routine ‘mopping up’ mission on a few stray He-111 German bombers soon develops into a fracas in which the RAF faced their finest hour. The mission demonstrates the skills required to intercept larger bombers as well as the more nimble Stuka bombers. The effective use of wingmen will become apparent as the mission unfolds and survivors will have the opportunity to land on a home airstrip.

In Battle of the Bulge: Tiger Hunt, the US Air Force P-51D Mustang is the weapon of choice as players are invited to pick off some German armour ploughing through the Ardennes. Defending FW-190 fighters will also have to be dispatched; although the Tigers are the primary target as US forces aim to stem the German advance and defend the front line. The mission will allow players to try rocket attacks on ground targets as well as sample the snow capped vistas of the December Belgian landscape.

Based around large-scale aerial combat over the ground-based military operations of World War II, variety is at the heart of the action in IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey. Players participate in the most famous confrontations of the era piloting fighters, battle planes or heavy bombers across a range of missions. There are 6 theatres of war in which to engage – The Battle of Britain, Stalingrad, Berlin, Sicily, the Battle of the Bulge and Korsun – representing the main airborne battles of World War II in Europe.

As well as taking environmental and landscape visuals to new heights by incorporating satellite technology, IL-2 also boasts a tangible damage effects engine. Players will see real-time damage to the aircraft such as holes in the wings and trail lines during dogfights.

IL2 Sturmovik: Birds Of Prey will be published by 505 Games in collaboration with 1C Company on 4th September 2009 for Xbox 360, PS3, DS and PSP. Visit the official website at www.il2game.com for all the latest information.

Free World of Battles video game - Drop You Right into the Heart of Battle

In the medieval universe of World of Battles, nine races fight a terrible war for world domination. Choose your side, recruit, train and equip units in order to create a powerful army able to face opposing armies created by other players.

Take part in huge battles in order to establish yourself as a warlord and progress in the online World of Battles’, ranks. Players will be free to connect for quick play and to participate in one of the many official tournaments of World of Battles.

In the game, you will discover a unique system for customizing your units and soldiers. You'll be able to personalize the appearance of each one of your soldiers with a very high level of detail. Before launching into your first battles, you'll need to prepare your troops, because if you don't, your army will surely take a beating.

Once you're ready to fight, gameplay switches to real time strategy mode. Take command of your armies and show everyone who's the greatest warlord in the war-torn battlefields of World of Battles. You can also join friends to confront other clans in titanic guild wars in which tactics and teamwork will be essential to become the most powerful army of all.

World of Battles is free and accessible to all in order to allow everyone to share an intense online gaming experience. World of Battles has higher technical ambitions than other current free internet games and a significant development budget. The game will be supported through additional services and micro-transactions which will allow players to buy customizations for troops and units.

World of Battles is currently being developed by Frogwares studio. It will be available online for free in June 2009.

Real Heroes - Firefighter video game for Nintendo Wii

In development by Epicenter Studios, "Real Heroes: Firefighter" emphasizes non-violent, game-integral puzzles and challenges that mirror the on-the-fly choices firefighters face every day.

Featuring Epicenter's proprietary "Thinking Fire" technology, blazes will seem almost alive as they not only attack structures, potential victims and firefighters, but also cause unexpected changes to the environments that will suddenly alter the player's options and strategies.

No two scenarios will play out the same way in "Real Heroes: Firefighter."

Video game Music Line Up EA Sports games Fifa 10, NHL 10, NBA Live 10 and NFL 10

Electronic Arts unveiled the full soundtracks for Madden NFL 10, FIFA 10, NHL 10 and NBA LIVE 10. This first-ever quadruple announcement represents the sounds of this fall’s four sports franchises and affirms EA’s standing as the leaders in worldwide videogame music and marketing.

“Each EA SPORTS game is unique to every gamer that picks up the controller, we wanted to make sure the music matched each of those unique experiences,” said Steve Schnur, Electronic Arts’ Worldwide Executive for Music and Marketing. “With the big songs and huge bands in Madden NFL, bringing back the Soul of the Game to NBA LIVE, tapping into the hard hitting metal tracks of NHL and the international flavor of FIFA, this year’s EA SPORTS soundtrack line up aligns with each of the game’s unique styles.”

MADDEN NFL 10

Since 2001, the annual Madden NFL soundtrack has become music’s most essential launching pad for such artists as Avenged Sevenfold, Franz Ferdinand, Lupe Fiasco and Fallout Boy. This year, Madden NFL 10 makes the ultimate surprise play with a front-line of classics that includes Black Sabbath, 2Pac, Iron Maiden, Kid Rock, Nirvana, Public Enemy, System Of A Down and Rage Against The Machine; tracks by breakout bands Airbourne, Mastodon, and Killswitch Engage; and an exclusive new song by Cypress Hill.

The complete in-game soundtrack for Madden NFL 10:
ARTIST SONG
2Pac Can't C Me
Airbourne Heads Are Gonna Roll
Alice In Chains Them Bones
B.o.B Created A Monster
Bang Camaro Revolution
Beastie Boys Sabotage
Black Sabbath Paranoid
Cypress Hill Get ‘Em Up
Helmet Unsung
Iron Maiden Aces High
Judas Priest Painkiller
Kid Rock I Am The Bullgod
Killswitch Engage Reckoning
Korn Blind
Mastodon Divinations
Nas feat. Puff Daddy Hate Me Now
Nirvana Breed
Pantera Walk
Public Enemy Shut Em Down
Rage Against The Machine Guerrilla Radio
Set Your Goals Gaia Bleeds (Make Way for Man)
Slipknot Duality
System Of A Down Sugar
The Vanity Plan Before I Die
Young Dre The Truth Cheah Beah

NBA LIVE 10

Long recognized as the premiere showcase for diverse and innovative new music, NBA LIVE 10 features more than 80% exclusive tracks, including reinvented classics from Afrika Bambaataa, Dead Prez and Snoop Dogg, along with ground-breaking collaborations by indie-rockers Matt & Kim with the legendary De La Soul, and newcomers Mickey Factz & B.o.B. The soundtrack also spotlights never-before-heard songs from Beastie Boys and Wyclef Jean.

The complete in-game soundtrack for NBA LIVE 10:
ARTIST SONG
88 Keys feat. Colin Munroe Wake Up Call
Afrika Bambaataa feat. Why G, Mickey Factz &The Fort Knox Five Zulu! (We Don't Stop Yawl)
B.o.B. Champion
Beastie Boys Pop Your Balloon
David Banner & GQ S.P.I.T.
De La Soul La La La
Dead Prez Still Bigga Than
Embassy Music Board Overtime
Grand Puba Get It
Laza Crank It Up
Matt & Kim feat. De La Soul Daylight (Troublemaker Remix)
Matt & Kim Daylight
Mick Boogie feat. Kidz In The Hall, Donnis & Daytona Class Of Our Own
Mickey Factz & B.o.B. Mind Got Blown
Mos Def feat. Talib Kweli History
Murs feat. Kurupt & Jay Rock We Ballin'
Pete Rock When I Need It
Reflection Eternal Get Lite
Rye Rye feat. Busy Signal Get Like This
Snoop Dogg Lodi Dodi (LIVE 10)
Wale feat. Jazmine Sullivan World Tour
Wyclef Jean feat. Haitian Fresh Ballin'
Xzibit feat. BJ The Chicago Kid & Poo Bear Fanatic
Young Dre The Truth & 2Pac feat. BJ The Chicago Kid All Eyez On Me (The Truth)
Zion I Go Hard

NHL 10

NHL 10 boasts a crunching line-up of metal, indie-punk and rapcore tracks from both legendary platinum bands – including Megadeth, Scorpions, Green Day and Rancid – and breakthrough new acts such as Cancer Bats and Metalkpretty.

The complete in-game soundtrack for NHL 10:
ARTIST SONG
Alexisonfire Young Cardinals
Cancer Bats Deathsmarch
CKY Hellions On Parade
Disco Ensemble Golden Years
Drangonforce Heroes Of Our Time
Eagles Of Death Metal Anything 'Cept The Truth
Earl Greyhound Oye Vaya
Green Day Know Your Enemy
Megadeth Peace Sells
Metalkpretty Wake Up! Wake Up!
Ministry & Co-Conspirators Keys To The City (Chicago Blackhawks Theme Song)
MxPx Kids In America
Nickelback Burn It To The Ground
Papa Roach Into The Light
Priestess Raccoon Eyes
Rancid The Bravest Kids
Scorpions Rock You Like A Hurricane
Thousand Foot Krutch Fire It Up

FIFA 10

For the latest edition of the most influential global soundtrack in the world today, EA SPORTS FIFA 10 brings together genre-spanning tracks from 39 different artists representing more than 25 nations, including England, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Mexico, Brazil, Norway, New Zealand, Israel, USA and Nigeria.

The complete in-game soundtrack for FIFA 10:
ARTIST SONG COUNTRY
Adiam Dymott Miss You Sweden
Afrobots Favela Rock Brazil
Alex Metric Head Straight England
Auletta Meine Stadt Germany
Balkan Beat Box feat. Tomer Yosef and Saz Ramallah-Tel Aviv Israel
BLK JKS Lakeside South Africa
Bomba Estéreo Fuego Mexico
The BPA feat. Ashley Beedle Should I Stay Or Should I Blow England
Buraka Som Sistema feat. Pongolove Kalemba (Wegue - Wegue) Portugal
CasioKids Fot I Hose Norway
Children Collide Skeleton Dance Australia
Crookers feat. The Very Best, Two Fingers & Marina Gasolina Birthday Bash Italy
Cut Off Your Hands Happy As Can Be New Zealand
Dananananaykroyd Black Wax Scotland
Datarock Give It Up Norway
Fabri Fibra Donna Famosa Italy
Fidel Nadal International Love Argentina
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs La Luz Del Ritmo Argentina
Macaco Hacen Falta Dos Spain
Major Lazer Hold The Line USA
Marcio Local Soul Do Samba Brazil
Matt & Kim Daylight (Troublemaker Remix feat. De La Soul) USA
Metric Gold Guns Girls Canada
Mexican Institute Of Sound Alocatel Mexico
Nneka Kangpe Nigeria
Passion Pit Moth's Wings USA
Peter Bjorn And John Nothing To Worry About Sweden
Pint Shot Riot Not Thinking Straight England
Playing For Change War / No More Trouble WORLD
Rocky Dawuni Download The Revolution Ghana
Röyksopp It's What I Want Norway
Soshy Dorothy France
The Answering Machine It's Over! It's Over! It's Over! England
The Enemy UK Be Somebody England
The Temper Trap Science of Fear Australia
Tommy Sparks She's Got Me Dancing England
The Whitest Boy Alive 1517 Germany
Wyclef Jean MVP Kompa Haiti
Zap Mama Vibrations Belgium