Free Heavy Metal Content Pack download for horror FPS Killing Floor video game

Up and coming video game publisher Iceberg Interactive today announced that Tripwire Interactive released a free Heavy Metal Content Pack for the hit co-op survival horror title, Killing Floor. This entirely free update brings 2 new weapons, a brand new map and a bunch of other new features to the game. The major ones:

• 2 new weapons: the AK-47 assault rifle beefs up the Commando Perk, with heavier hitting power in semi and full automatic fire modes. The Katana is a classic melee weapon that combines speed, reach and cutting power.
• A brand new map: KF-Foundry. This map is set in a Horzine manufacturing facility, tucked away in an old steel foundry. Multiple levels, strange machinery and molten metal all serve to create an eerie and frantic location to fight off the specimen hordes!

Further new features in this free update include:

• Added "On Fire" behavior to all Specimens. When a specimen burns a certain amount, they will now freak out and behave like a burning zed should, making the flamethrower more effective.
• Updated the flashlight to look and act in a more realistic fashion.

Tweaks in the update include:

• Added smoke to the Scrake's Chainsaw.
• Adjusted the spawning of the Patriarch boss character to prevent cases where the boss was spawning too close to players.
• Adjusted Bullpup's firing sound to have more bass.
• Adjusted "Crisp up" settings for some of the Specimens when on fire.
• Updated Mutator and Map White Lists (see Killing Floor forums for more details)



Minor bug fixes in the update are:

• Fixed Scrake's head glowing when decapitated.
• Fixed "The Long War", "The Hard War", and "The Completely Suicidal War" achievements not unlocking.
• Fixed known exploits on KF-Farm, KF-Manor, KF-Offices, and KF-WestLondon.

The update pack is free to everyone who owns the game and will update automatically.

Star Wars the Clone Wars Republic Heroes video game on Nintendo Wii Lightsaber Duels and Jedi Alliance on Nintendo DS

Now everyone can experience the fun and excitement of a Lightsaber fight. Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels immerses you in the characters, locations, and epic duels from the all-new Star Wars animated feature film and television series set between Episode II and Episode III.

Built from the ground-up for Nintendo Wii, Lightsaber Duels features an intuitive motion-controlled combat system that puts the Lightsaber weapon in your hand. Mastering the Jedi's distinctive weapon is now within any player's grasp.

* Fight the most memorable duels from The Clone Wars feature film and TV series.

* Wield your Wii Remote like a lightsaber and experience first-hand the unique weapon of the Jedi Knights with intuitive controls, so no matter what your gaming experience you can become a lightsaber master.

* Play with your friends as your favorite Clone Wars hero or villain — from familiar characters like Anakin Skywalker and General Grievous to new faces like Ahsoka Tano and Asajj Ventress — each with a unique fighting style and set of skills.


* Exploit your interactive surroundings to defeat your opponent: slice down pillars and Force throw them against your foe.


* Duel your way through significant Clone Wars locations, such as Tatooine and Teth.

NaturalMotion morpheme used to create Ashes Cricket 2009 video game

NaturalMotion, the animation technology company behind the euphoria engine, today announced that Transmission Games used the company’s morpheme middleware to power animation in the Codemasters game Ashes Cricket 2009.



morpheme is robust animation middleware designed to give developers and animators unprecedented creative control over the look of their final in game animation by allowing them to author and preview blends, blend trees and transition graphs in real time. The middleware’s seamless integration with NVIDIA PhysX provides a unique toolset for creating lifelike characters.

“We have reaped the benefits of using morpheme in our development of Ashes Cricket 2009,” said Tony Parkes, Studio Head, Transmission Games. “Our team has been able to efficiently and cost effectively produce believable animation in a fraction of the time we would normally expect.”

“Codemasters has a strong reputation for publishing world class cricket titles and Transmission Games will no doubt continue the tradition," said Christian Staack, Vice President of Sales for North America at NaturalMotion. “We are delighted to support such a talented and dedicated studio and are confident that morpheme will help them create the most authentic Ashes experience possible.”

Ashes Cricket 2009 has been developed by Transmission Games and is published by Codemasters for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PC and Nintendo Wii.

Kevin Pietersen signs as face of Ashes Cricket 2009 video game

Ashes stars past and present show their support for new cricket game as Kevin Pietersen, Ricky Ponting, Ian Botham and Shane Warne all sign for Codemasters.

Kevin Pietersen, the explosive England batsman, will be the face of Ashes Cricket 2009, the official video game of this summer’s tournament, Codemasters announced today. Pietersen will be the game’s cover star and joins Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne and Sir Ian Botham in playing a prominent role in the game.

Pietersen’s powerful, attacking style has helped make him one of the most prominent athletes in the sport, especially following his and England’s success in the 2005 Ashes series. Now gamers will have the opportunity to emulate that success, playing as him or against him in Ashes Cricket 2009, which will feature fully licensed players, kit, stadia and equipment to give a truly authentic experience.

“I am delighted to be involved with the official game of the Ashes,” commented KP. “The game looks fantastic and I’m sure both England and Australia fans are going to relish the opportunity to take part in a virtual Ashes series. Representing your country in the Ashes is a huge honour and I can’t wait for it to start.”

Joining Pietersen as a headline star in the game will be Australian captain Ricky Ponting whose image will adorn the game’s pack art in his home country. Speaking about the prospect of gamers recreating the Ashes at home Ricky said: “I think it’s going to be massive. There are guys all over the world playing against each other trying to recreate us playing against England at grounds like Lords. We have some bad memories from our last trip to England to play in the Ashes so we are desperate to put it right.”

Ashes stars of the past are also included in Ashes Cricket 2009 with Sir Ian Botham and Shane Warne taking on commentary duties and hosting the game’s comprehensive ‘Legends Mode’. Beefy and Warney will talk players through the basics of every aspect of the sport, progressing to more advanced techniques before setting player challenges based on classic moments from the history of cricket.

“Recording commentary for the game was a lot of fun and I am really pleased with the result. It’s always good to have some banter with Beefy,” commented Warne. “I played in eight Ashes Series and it’s an amazing feeling to represent your country on the biggest stage. Hopefully Ashes Cricket 2009 will allow cricket fans a taste of what that feels like.”

Botham added: “I’m sure cricket fans in England, Australia and all around the world will have a lot of fun playing against each other on Ashes Cricket 2009. I’m very pleased to be involved in the game and hope that the people who play it enjoy the Legends Mode. In 2005 we all saw what kind of positive effect a successful Ashes series can have on the country and hopefully the boys can emulate that this year.”

Coming from the home of video game cricket, Ashes Cricket 2009 will build on the heritage that Codemasters has enjoyed with its best-selling Brian Lara series of games and will continue to lead the field with great batting, bowling and fielding gamezplay and authenticity that made the series a huge hit with cricket fans the world over. Produced by Codemasters, the game is currently being developed by Transmission Games and will be released for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PC. A Nintendo Wii version, developed by Gusto Games, will be released in August.

54.6% of Xbox 360 fail in survey - Microsoft respond

Koyaku report - Microsoft's responded to Game Informer's controversial survey, which found 54.6 percent of Xbox 360s - among their readership anyway - have gone RRoD.

Microsoft didn't dispute numbers or offer their own, but did concede they're "constantly improving" the 360's design.

In a statement to TG Daily, Microsoft said:

Microsoft stands behind the Xbox 360 as a superior entertainment console with one of the best warranties in the industry. We are constantly improving the design, manufacture and performance of the console through extensive testing of potential sources of any problems. Xbox 360 is pleased to maintain the title of 'most played console' and the vast majority of Xbox 360 customers have enjoyed a terrific gaming and entertainment experience since their first day, and continue to, day in and day out.

As always, when you are dealing with a spokesman, it's what's not said that's the story. In this case, Microsoft didn't even take a swipe at Game Informer's survey methodology, or the staggering 54.6 percent figure. in February 2008, they disputed the validity of a report saying the console had a 16 percent failure rate.

Then again, Microsoft probably knows that to continue the who-shot-john over its original motherboard and Falcon designs is to propagate the console's rep as a failboat. Plus challenging someone else's numbers either dredges up ones reported in the past, or creates demands for you to produce your own. Probably best to give it some "superior console" boilerplate and invite the issue to go away.

Microsoft still didn't say anything about the suck-egg customer service numbers - that only 38 percent found theirs helpful.

Source: Kotaku

Puzzle? brings three new word games to the Xbox Live Indie Games channel

Utilising a word list of over 430,000 words in three exciting word games Puzzle? will prove entertaining and educational as you expand on your vocabulary exploring new words that you never thought existed.

Additionally if you fancy a bit of a timeout from word games, why not try out either single or local two player tic-tac-toe, which comes with Puzzle?

You can purchase Puzzle? today from the Xbox marketplace for only 80 Microsoft Points (US$1).

EyePet The next generation virtual pet for PlayStation 3 with screenshots

What makes a pet real? Introducing EyePet, the virtual pet that follows your every movement and command…

EyePet comes with an impressive array of abilities all made possible by Playstation Eye, the next-generation camera for PlayStation 3 slim (PS3). A loveable, simian-like pet, EyePet lives in an on-screen picture of your sitting room as captured second by second on Playstation Eye.



Working in ‘Augmented Reality’, EyePet is fully aware of people in the room and will interact with you and your environment. Place an object in front of the camera that EyePet hasn’t seen before and it’ll know exactly what to do with it, give it something new and it’ll examine it thoroughly. Tickle it by waving your fingers in front of the camera: it laughs, poke it: it jumps, roll it a ball: EyePet chases around the screen after it.

An incredibly lifelike little critter, EyePet gives you all the lovable benefits and interaction of a real-life pet without tearing up your sofa or making a mess on the rug. Kids and adults alike will love to customise, dress it and watch its facial expressions that range from the sweet to the cheeky to the hilarious. It’s all made possible by the power of PS3 which has enabled EyePet’s developers to achieve incredible graphics and animation in its facial reactions, lifelike fur and incredibly intelligent interaction with you, your environment and anything you choose to place in front of it.

EyePet will be available in late 2009, so prepare to bring a furry ball of mischief into your home and a new friend into your life.

Experience the first virtual pet who doesn’t just live on screen, he lives in the living-room. Using the PlayStation® Eye camera, EyePet will interact with users and the environment to deliver entertainment and fun for the whole family. With EyePet players will learn to care for their new pet, including teaching, feeding, and playing with them. Additionally, players can compete in daily challenges to make their EyePet more intelligent and agile, and to earn special rewards.



Features

EyePet Reacts to Every Move and Command – Place an object in front of the camera and EyePet will interact with it. Tickle EyePet by waving your fingers in front of the camera and he will laugh. Poke him, and he will jump. Roll a ball and EyePet will chase after it.
Customize Your EyePet – With over 250 unique collectibles you can customize your pet’s look by styling his fur, changing his clothes, and giving him new toys.
Graphics and Animation That Only the PS3 Can Deliver – EyePet features Pixar-like fur technology and facial expressions. Watch EyePet change as he evolves over time.
Create and Share With Friends – Draw new toys and watch EyePet interact with them as they spring to life on-screen.

Platform: PlayStation 3 system
Genre: Family
Rating: “RP” for “Rating Pending”
Peripheral: PlayStation Eye

Frank Lampard joins Rooney as cover athlete for upcoming EA video game 'FIFA 10'!

Electronic Arts Inc. today unveiled the global cover athletes for EA Sports FIFA 10. Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard joins Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney as the face of FIFA 10 worldwide on each available platform— the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, Wii, PC, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system and mobile.

FIFA 10 marks the fifth year the 23-year-old Rooney has been featured on the global pack cover of the FIFA franchise while the 31-year-old Lampard is on the cover for the first time in the FIFA franchise history.

“It is an honour to be part of the EA Sports FIFA franchise. Being on the cover of this fantastic football video game with such a rich history is really a great achievement for me”, said Lampard.

The two football greats will be joined by numerous stars from all over the world on regional packaging, including Karim Benzema in France, Xavi Hernandez in Spain, Giorgio Chiellini in Italy, Bastian Schweinsteiger in Germany and many others all over the world.

A full playable demo of FIFA 10 for the PLAYSTATION3 will be available for downloadable at the PLAYSTATION Store, for the Xbox 360 on Xbox Live Marketplace and for the PC at www.easports.co.uk/fifa10 as of September 10 in Europe and September 17 in North America. Play as Chelsea, Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Marseille, and Chicago Fire (MLS) and discover a football experience that will deliver a new standard for authenticity with gameplay refinements and innovations that will make it the most complete and intelligent simulation of football. In addition to playing an exhibition match, for the first time in a FIFA demo users will be able to upload created in-game videos to EA Football World.

Heavy Rain PlayStation 3 exclusive video game - a dark, emotional thriller where decisions can have dramatic consequences

Heavy Rain is a dark, immersive and emotionally-engaging experience; one that expands upon the innovative ideas of 2005’s acclaimed Fahrenheit to create a noir-thriller where decisions are charged with importance and actions can have drastic and unforseen consequences.

Breaking with traditional game conventions where necessary, the gameplay will be based around story, emotional involvement and the player’s decisions and interactions, rather than high-scores, combat and competition. Intuitive gameplay and controls are also fundamental to the experience – ensuring that the game is mature but accessible, and avoiding alienating players with obscure stats and complex interfaces.

In Heavy Rain you don’t watch the story – you play it. The dynamic narrative unfolds through the players actions - not cut scenes - and every action has a consequence. The choices you make and the way you interact with other characters have repercussions throughout the storyline. With unprecedented responsibility over the fates of the game’s characters, players will find Heavy Rain an emotional experience unlike any other. It dares to tackle subject matter and themes rarely touched upon in video games, making it a genuinely mature game for a new world of adult gamers.

Heavy Rain has been unveiled at Games Convention 2008 in Leipzig with a teaser trailer consisting of actual gameplay footage, demonstrating Quantic Dream’s use of stunning animation and motion-capture technology to create an atmospheric and thrilling experience.

Founded in 1997 by David Cage, French developer Quantic Dream has achieved international renown for its innovation within the games industry, particularly in the areas of interactive narration and emotional content. The studio’s record speaks for itself: in particular Quantic Dream was responsible for 2005’s award winning Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in the US and Canada), a paranormal, interactive blend of film and gaming that was widely praised for re-imagining the adventure game genre.

Heavy Rain is the place where action gaming meets film-noir head-on, in an adventure unlike any other. A game where your mind, emotions and human nature will be put to the test like never before, Heavy Rain takes interactive entertainment down a dark, compelling path rarely ventured in the gaming world.

Join the reading revolution:digital reader coming to PSP and PSPgo (PlayStationPortable)

Sony announce the digital reader for PSP and PSPgo (PlayStationPortable), a new service that will allow PSP owners to access a range of media on their PSP. The digital reader service will be launched with Digital Comics this December in select countries, the U.S, and regions in Europe with other PAL territories to follow in 2010, putting PSP owners in control of a huge library of Digital Comics from provider partners including one of the leading comic publishers, Marvel Entertainment. Content from other partners such as IDW Publishing, iVerse Media and others, as well as graphic novels for bite-sized entertainment on demand and on the go will be available.

The new Digital Comics service will let you download hundreds of classic and new comics from PlayStation Store to your PSP, to read page by page or frame by frame wherever you are. The service lets you take a huge collection of comics out and about with you, allows you to pick up the latest edition from any Wi-Fi hotspot, and gives you a brand-new way to use your PSP for entertainment on the go.




The digital reader for PSP will offer the biggest names in comics, including content from Marvel Entertainment‘s Spider-Man, X-Men and the Fantastic Four, from IDW: TRANSFORMERS and Star Trek and in partnership with iVerse Media, brands like Archie Comics, and Image Comic's Proof, whilst other content will include graphic novels, comics from a variety of local publishers and the latest underground sensations. More and more titles will arrive on PlayStation Store with monthly content updates, offering a huge choice of quality titles at your fingertips, allowing you to take your favourite comic characters with you on the move.

“This is a great new service that offers PSP owners even more options for entertainment on the go and makes PSP a must for comics fans,” says Isabelle Tomatis, European Marketing Manager, Hardware and Platforms, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. 
“Digital Comics will sit alongside the new PlayStation®Network video delivery service as yet another way that PSP offers a whole world of entertainment in your hands.”

“PSP’s new digital reader offers an unprecedented consumer experience that will extend the world of Marvel from print pages into the hands of fans around the world. We are excited to be part of this launch,” said Ira Rubenstein, executive vice president, global digital media group, Marvel Entertainment.

The intuitive Autoflow feature allows you to zoom in and move from frame to frame on each digital page, mimicking the way your eyes would move across a print page from left to right. It’s straightforward and simple to use, and thanks to PSP’s high contrast LCD screen, your comics will be looking better than ever as the stunning graphics leap out from the screen.

Digital Comics will be launching on the UK, US, Irish, Australian, New Zealand and South African PlayStation Stores this December, with other PAL territories to follow, and with more and more comics and graphic novels arriving every month. Consumers will first need to connect their PSP via Wi-Fi to the PlayStation Store to download the digital reader. Once downloaded, they can return to the Store to choose from a wide variety of comics available.