Kingdom Hearts 358/2 days video game out in Europe this August on Nintendo DS

Square Enix Ltd, the publisher of Square Enix interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces that KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days will be released across PAL territories on 9th October for Nintendo DS.

With more than 12 million copies shipped worldwide, the KINGDOM HEARTS series is one of the most beloved RPGs in video game history. Disney and FINAL FANTASY characters unite in a magical game world, engaging players across the globe with its gripping storyline and action-packed gameplay.

The series continues with KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days. Follow Roxas, the “other” hero from KINGDOM HEARTS II, and discover more about his days as a member of the mysterious Organization XIII. What is the connection between Roxas and Sora? Who is the mysterious 14th member and what were the reasons for Roxas’ eventual departure from the organization? KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days adds one other exciting and essential component to the fun, being the first KINGDOM HEARTS game to offer a multiplayer mode.

Larry Sparks, Vice President of Brand, Square Enix products comments, “The KINGDOM HEARTS series goes from strength to strength. With KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days we are delighted to be revisiting these wonderfully unique worlds and very excited about the addition of a multiplayer mode. I am sure fans will find this another thrilling and essential entry in the series.”

For more information about KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days, please visit the official website at www.kingdomheartsdays.com

About KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 DAYS

Story

-Twilight Town-
Roxas and Axel were watching the sunset from their usual spot on the station's clock tower after a long day of collecting "hearts" from the Heartless, as ordered by their organization. When their daily work ended, they often spent their evenings there. They talked about the day's work and other things over ice cream.

"Do you know why the sun looks red as it sinks below the horizon? It's because among the countless colours comprising light, red travels the greatest distance."

"You're just trying to show off, Axel!"

It was idle chatter between two boys without hearts.
This is the untold story of Organization XIII's Roxas.

Features

• World-renowned creator and character designer Tetsuya Nomura and his team once again unite the magical world of Disney with the characters of FINAL FANTASY, inviting fans to an enchanting gaming experience
• Multiplayer Mode – for the first time in KINGDOM HEARTS. Four players can team-up as their favourite Organization XIII members
• Fully 3D environments and characters, gigantic boss battles and an orchestral soundtrack push the Nintendo DS capabilities to the full
• A wide variety of missions to complete across a range of huge worlds. Lots to explore including Standard Missions, Trial Missions and multiplayer Mission Mode
• Limit Breaks! The special near-death ability from FINAL FANTASY VII is brought to the world of KINGDOM HEARTS allowing for explosive special attacks
• Panel System – organise your weapons, spells, abilities and even levels with this new system that makes you strategically think about what you can carry

Empire of Sports football first massively connected multisport 3D PC video game

Empire of Sports, the first virtual world entirely dedicated to sport, and NOMIS, the revolutionary football boot designer and manufacturer, have announced their partnership. NOMIS, whose design marks arguably the biggest progression in football boot innovation for decades, will soon be able to demonstrate the amazing performances of its boots to Empire of Sports’ players.

The first massively connected multisport 3D game, Empire of Sports is offering players a chance to practice through their avatars – their 3D representation in the virtual world – a wide range of sports that includes tennis, skiing, basketball, and of course football. As a unique place for many players to meet from all over the world, Empire of Sports also provides them with the perfect platform for competitions, where physical development and team practice are important, but also the best possible equipment, to ensure victories to their avatars and their team.

As a revolutionary football boot designer eager to show the world the qualities of its amazing design, NOMIS is a perfect match for the virtual world of Empire of Sports: through the forthcoming events that will be organized in partnership with NOMIS, Empire of Sports’ players will be able to win real NOMIS shoes, and their avatars will soon be able to buy virtual NOMIS shoes inside the game, to enhance their in-game football performances.

Alexis Galley, CEO of Empire of Sports, said: “We are delighted to welcome NOMIS as a new partner in Empire of Sports. Football is one of the most popular sports not only in the real world, but also in our virtual one, and NOMIS has the technical edge to bring much added value to our football players. We know that many people are willing to improve their football skills and we hope they enjoy this new partnership.”

Simon Skirrow, founder and CEO of NOMIS, said: “We are very happy to enter such a promising virtual world as Empire of Sports, and have our name next to prestigious partners like FC Barcelona. We believe our range of football boots are the most technically advanced and best performance enhancers on the market, and we trust Empire of Sports will demonstrate those qualities to a wider audience. We are very happy with the success met by the first competition that has just started within the community, and we can’t wait to the next steps of our partnership.”

If you are keen to start practicing virtual football and be ready to enter the next NOMIS event or try soon the first virtual NOMIS boots within Empire of Sports, all you need to do is download the game client from www.empireofsports.com (900 Mo), register and start playing for free!

Empire of Sports is currently in the Prologue phase: this phase allows the game to expand progressively, with the help and feedback of its vast community of online players.

Grand Theft Auto episode from Liberty City logo released

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Win Your Very Own Copy of BRAINPIPE! video game

BRAINPIPE: A Plunge to Unhumanity is a game that not only will explode your eyeballs like a decompression chamber because of its amazingly cool visuals, but it also tickles your ears with some of the most hypnotic sounds to emanate from your computer speakers. The audio is a wonderful soundscape that won both the 2009 IGF Excellence in Audio award and an Ernie for the best in-game audio, and with that in mind what better way to honor the game but with a musical contest?

Shrapnel Games and game forum PwnEm.com have teamed up to allow two lucky winners to win their very own copy of the full retail version of Digital Eel's alien mind control device cleverly disguised as a computer game, BRAINPIPE: A Plunge to Unhumanity. The contest runs until August 22nd and is open to registered users of PwnEm.com, and since registration is quick and painless there's no reason not to sign up and take a chance on the contest.

The contest is very easy to participate in. Simply join the BRAINPIPE contest thread at PwnEm.com and either state a song that describes the game or a song that describes how you feel when you play the game. It doesn't matter if it's Rachmaninoff, Warbringer, or Elvis Costello, it's all about how the music and game tie together for YOU (although anyone posting something from Attack Attack! may be mocked).

Full details of the contest can be found on the PwnEM.com site.

BRAINPIPE: A Plunge to Unhumanity is the latest game from Digital Eel and is published by Shrapnel Games. Available as a download for only $14.95 for either PCs or Macs (or free to the contest winners), BRAINPIPE is one button journey through the darkest-and yet most colorful-regions of the mind.

Players dash through tunnels of wildly cascading colors, racing to collect glyphs while avoiding the dangers within, all for the ultimate goal of both the high score and ascension to another existence. BRAINPIPE: A Plunge to Unhumanity is playable in short sessions, making it perfect for either the quick breakaway or for multiple subsequent plays.

"The experience provided by this game can best be described as "Zen-like". It is impossible to worry about one's job, spouse, mortgage or other obligations when playing BRAINPIPE. The player is not driven by a competitive need to earn a high score, or even by curiosity about what the next level will be like. Instead, the player is transported into an abstract world that is enjoyable in its own right. The result is that a few minutes of playing BRAINPIPE have the same effect as a well-needed nap or an energizing piece of good news."

So says Raven Lebeau, and we agree. BRAINPIPE is an energizing piece of good news for you. Take a break from playing all those violent murder simulators and enjoy some good old fashioned gameplay by unleashing your inner tie-dyed hippie. Check out more information on the game or download the demo to experience a taste for yourself.
For more great games of the independent persuasion point your browser to www.shrapnelgames.com for our full catalog of award winning titles, along with freeware to download and an active community to join. Celebrating a decade in business, Shrapnel Games recent releases include War Plan Pacific, Battle Group Commander: Episode One, along with BRAINPIPE: A Plunge to Unhumanity. Look for the board game Eat Electric Death! to ship this quarter.

BOH video game now runs on Linux with latest update

BOH continues to improve and now it even runs natively on Linux!

Specifically, this update:

* makes the game run natively on Linux (requires an x86 CPU, SDL 1.2 and SDL_mixer-1.2);
* avoids the restart of the whole program upon theme change (very useful when playing in full screen, as the monitor does not need to re-sync);
* adds themes randomization options;
* adds the "USE ENHANCED WEAPONS" option (makes killing enemies easier);
* slows down the blinking of the automapper direction indicator;
* adds video mode suggestions;
* fixes a minor bug in the zoom selection handling (in rare cases it could cause an illegal memory access);
* fixes bad centering at 4x zoom (a couple of parentheses were missing);
* links the AmigaOS version to the latest SDL;
* links the Windows version to a fresh build of the custom framework (by mistake an outdated framework had been used with the consequence that, on some machines, input handling was partially broken);
* includes some graphical retouches to the themes "castle" and "warm";
* adds synopses to the phases of the mission "tougher and tougher";
* updates and improves the user's manual;
* improves some translations;
* applies some other changes.


BOH owners can enjoy the update by downloading it for free from the DOWNLOADS page of the official website at www.bohthegame.com.

The demos available on the same page have been updated to reflect the changes.

About BOH:

BOH is an original, retro-flavoured game of exploration and action.
You move in claustrophobic, traps-packed, mind-boggling battlefields searching for the Evil Masters, who throw countless enemies at you until you discover and face them in the final battle. Although your quests are made slightly less hard by the bonuses and power-ups scattered all around, carrying out the missions demands lots of concentration and quick reflexes.
With BOH the fun never ends: new missions can be added anytime and you can even create your own! And, as if that was not enough, you can also customize entirely its audio-visual aspect!
BOH has been created with lots of passion and care to offer, with its oldschool style, a fascinatingly different videogaming experience.

To learn more about BOH, please surf to the official website at www.bohthegame.com.

World Cyber Games (WCG) Grand Final kicks-off in Chengdu, China in 100 days

With just under 100 days remaining until the World Cyber Games (WCG) Grand Final kicks-off in Chengdu, China, the WCG has announced key dates leading up to the showcase event for the world's largest and most inclusive international computer and videogame festival. This year, over 700 of the world's top eSports players from more than 70 countries are expected to represent their countries and battle it out for honor and glory at the Grand Final, known as the Olympics of gaming.

The road to the exciting and intensely competitive five-day journey that will determine the best eSports players in the world kicks into high gear as all participating Grand Final countries conduct their National Final. Included amongst them will be TEAM USA, who won the overall tournament in 2007 and finished third last year. The U.S. will determine its team for the 12 official WCG titles at the National Finals held in conjunction with the New York Anime Festival on September 25-27. Anyone who wants to participate in the USA WCG National Final this year still has time to qualify by visiting www.WCG.com/USA to register for the WCG Online Tournaments to qualify for your shot at TEAM USA.

Fans can follow all of the action for the U.S. National Final, and all other National Finals, by logging onto www.WCG.com. Additionally, if they log on in September, they can watch live as the WCG unveils the group drawings. During the live event, fans can find out the match-ups for the Grand Final.

In October, online press registration will be open during October for all media interested in attending the event. Media members can save time by obtaining their press pass on-site directly during the event, guaranteeing admission to all WCG 2009 Grand Final events.

Here comes the HERO!

Come and meet the heroes!

See you in Chengdu!

WipEout HD Fury PlayStation 3 update Increases the content of your current game with 4 new tracks, 13 new ship models and 3 new game modes

WipEout HD Fury is an expansion pack for WipEout HD, Sony Liverpool's blisteringly fast-paced anti-gravift craft racer in which you use a mixture of speed and weaponry to compete against other racers across some funky, futuristic-looking tracks. Available exclusively as a downloadable title from the PlayStation Store, HD Fury offers a wealth of new content, which is reflected in its lofty £7.99 price tag and 700MB file size.

‘Fury’ is an appropriate word to use in the expansion’s title. The menu interface has had a makeover that reflects the game's title, with the clean white and blue menu of WipEout HD making way for a fierce looking red design that gives the expansion a unique look. New audio tracks have also been added which incorporate the ‘Fury’ theme well by throwing into to the mix some bouncing techno beats that replace the likes of Kratwerk’s hypnotic ambient sounds from Wipeout HD.

HD Fury boasts four new tracks, all of which are playable in reverse, and 13 new ship models, alongside online play and 13 new trophies to unlock. The biggest entry however is the three new game modes, including Eliminator, Zone Battle, and Detonator, plus an 80 event Fury campaign mode.

The Fury campaign offers the bulk of the new content, incorporating all of the new game modes. In the weapon-enabled Eliminator mode, the focus is heavily placed on destruction as you zip around the tracks until a player reaches a set score. Zone Battle makes use of boosting pads and as you attempt to be the first player to reach set zones. And finally, Detonator plays like an on-rails shooter where you need to score points by destroying the mines that have been strewn along the track, while attempting to take out the bomb on each stage to earn additional points.

Just like the original WipEout HD, the new content in HD Fury is displayed in 1080p resolution and runs at a silky smooth 60fps.

Call of Duty - World at War free iphone offers the latest news and stats

Marking a first for the Call of Duty franchise and its millions of dedicated fans, Activision Publishing, Inc. and Call of Duty - World at War developer Treyarch, will launch the first iPhone application as a companion for the blockbuster game today via iTunes- for free. The Call of Duty: World at War Companion allows fans who own iPhones to remotely access important news and updates from the palm of their hand.Additionally, players with linked accounts on www.CoDWaW.com (for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system from Sony) will be able to see key stats from the game. The application will support unique registered player accounts for Call of Duty: World at War fans by providing:

* Stat-Tracking: Check your rank on key stats like K/D ratio, win/lose record and more.
* Performance Tracking: Gain quick access to all of your weapon usage.
* Link with Friends: Monitor online activity, and the stats of friends with linked accounts on www.CoDWaW.com to compare progress.
* News: Access the latest news/blogs, Treyarch’s community Twitter feed (Twitter: JD_2020), as well as the latest on new maps, double XP weekends and contests.


The Call of Duty: World at War iPhone application also will be supported via a robust website (www.CoDWaW.com) providing a wide range of statistics and information for the site’s 1.75 million registered members. Members can easily link their web accounts to their in-game statistics and view live multiplayer-based leaderboards and compete against other players for prizes in private community tournaments. In addition, the site offers daily tips and exclusive information via the Community Blog and provides global statistics allowing players to see how they rank against others worldwide.

According to The NPD Group, Charttrack and Gfk, Call of Duty: World at War has sold more than 11 million units to date worldwide across all platforms. Additionally, Treyarch’s first two downloadable map packs have surpassed more than four million paid downloads on both Xbox LIVE and the PlayStation Network (combined), with a third map pack on the way this August.

Call of Duty: World at War is rated “M” (Mature) by the ESRB for Intense Violence, Strong Language, Blood and Gore.

Reel Fishing - Angler's Dream - Most Realistic Fishing Experience on the Nintendo Wii Yet!

Natsume announce that Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream has gone to gold master and will launch for the Nintendo Wii this month. The Reel Fishing franchise is known for setting itself apart from the competition by delivering the most true-to-life fishing experience.

"We can't wait for people to get their hands on Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream this month," said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO at Natsume. "It offers a fun and challenging fishing experience for novice fishermen and master anglers alike!"

Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream features picturesque environments, soothing environmental sounds, and a realistic fishing engine where fish flee, dive, and jump just like they would in real life! Players will travel to pristine lakes, raging rivers, and tropical oceans filled with the biggest fish around. With a variety of realistic stages, tons of fresh and salt water fish, and over 100 pieces of tackle to unlock, Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream has something to offer every angler! Players can raise their catches in aquariums, then release them back into the wild for an even bigger challenge! Players can also test their fishing skills against family and friends in the 2-4 player Versus Mode!

No matter whether players are casual anglers or seasoned veterans, Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream offers tons of fishing fun! It's the closest you can get to the real thing without putting on your waders!

GearGrinder action arcade racing video game packshot and new screenshots

Headup Games, a recently founded and independently financed publishing company for core PC titles located near Cologne in Germany reveals the final pack shot and new screen shots for GearGrinder, a bone crashing action/arcade racing-game, to be released September 17th 2009.

Buckle up and enjoy fully motorized mayhem with GearGrinder, the new incarnation of an underrepresented genre of arcade racing action. Take full control of your powerful truck, mounted with the most devastating weapons available, malicious mines and more nifty gadgets, and complete over 45 versatile and thrilling missions, leaving a trail of devastation wherever you go. Need something extra? Just transform your vehicle from combat to racing mode, deploy your jet engine and smile at your opponents while they watch your rear light disappear in the distance.
With destructible race environments ranging from shabby industrial circuits and cramped city tracks to the most gorgeous countryside, multiplayer modes for up to 8 players (LAN) and a thrilling story about a lot of money, hunger for power, corruption and friendship, GearGrinder will trigger the surge of adrenalin every man needs at regular intervals…

GearGrinder is scheduled for release September 17th 2009.