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Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Demon Lord sighted for the first time in video game 'Runes of Magic'

Frogster announce that as part of the current content update ‘Naga’s Awakening’, players will get to meet the namesake of Runes of Magic’s first chapter, the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord haunts a nightmare version of the city of Varanas in a new open combat feature, ‘Varanas Nightmare’, in what the company calls a ‘Public Encounter’. Public encounters are instances where players do not need to be part of a party or guild to enter, however the content is difficult and grouping is recommended.

The high level scenario is made up of three phases in and around the ‘Varanas Nightmare’, which has afflicted the minds of the city’s inhabitants. Up to 150 players can simultaneously combat the terrible dream and fight to stop the Demon Lord. The first targets for player groups are dimensional portals which are spread around the burned out city. Twenty portals need to be closed before the task is completed and phase two begins. This is where players have to overcome three world bosses in succession. Should the adventurers achieve victory within three minutes, the third and final phase begins. If the players fail, then the scenario begins again from the first phase.

Well coordinated raids are required to defeat the third opponent since this character is actively supported by the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord doesn’t actually engage in combat himself, but he does heal his vassals making the challenge difficult and victory very satisfying. Killing his minions doesn’t only bestow reputation and honor on the hero for mastering the scenario, but as the toughest challenge in Runes of Magic to date, there is also an outstanding loot for the victors.

Runes of Magic – A world full of magic and adventure

Runes of Magic has redefined the standard for free-to-play MMORPGs in terms of gameplay, fun and quality. The online role play game carries an exciting, multi-layered story, driven by more than 2,000 quests set in the atmospheric fantasy world of Taborea. To date, Runes of Magic has attracted more than 1.6 million registered users, making it one of the most successful titles in the free-to-play segment, and a must play game for all fans of MMOs and RPGs.

Runes of Magic features a unique dual class system enabling players to combine one of eight primary classes with a secondary class. The result is a deep player experience that expands upon the game’s deep customization offering. There are two different playable races, Elves and Humans, from which players can choose. Each dual class combination produces its own powerful elite skills. Another popular feature is the opportunity to furnish your own completely individual virtual home, and guilds can construct guild castles, which can be expanded with additional buildings. Thanks to comprehensive crafting and reputation systems, gripping PvP features, deep customization and demanding dungeons, Runes of Magic has something for everyone.

Taiwanese developer Runewaker regularly expands the game world with new free content and challenges.

Runes of Magic Features

- Dual class system with eight classes and unique elite skills
- Individual furnishing of player housing and guild castles
- In-depth story experienced through above 2,000 quests laced with epic quest-lines
- Gripping Player-versus-Player duels in arenas and on the battlefield
- Easy travel using portal stones and a wide range of rideable animals
- Challenging boss-combat in dangerous and extensive dungeons with up to 36 simultaneous players
- Entertaining mini-games offering variety to the hero’s routine
- Dynamic crafting and customization of items
- Regular comprehensive free updates with new game content
- Free-to-Play: No monthly subscriptions, free to download the game

Season 2 Expansion Set Sets Audition's Online Dance Floor Ablaze

Redbana launched Season 2, the first expansion set for the dance-themed online rhythm game, Audition. More than just a patch update Season 2 incorporates new enhancements, including graphical and user interface upgrades, 21 songs from acclaimed artists, over 100 in-game items, dance moves, gameplay modes, and much more. Audition Season 2 is now available to download free at: audition.redbana.com.

"Season 2 adds an enormous amount of new content to Audition, and the expansion is sure to keep even the most experienced fans intrigued for some time," said Eric Liu, Global Manager of Redbana. "Our priority for Audition is to provide compelling new content to fans on an ongoing basis, and Season 2 sets the stage for many more updates to come."

Among the vast amount of new content added to Audition, Season 2 includes:
- 21 Songs from Popular Artists Including, Lady Gaga, Sean Kingston, and Cascada
- More than 100 Avatar Items and 10 FAM Shop Items
- Beat Rush and Tournament Channel Gameplay Modes
- A Real-Time Emote Motion System
- All New Dance Moves

Season 2’s Beat Rush gameplay mode presents players with a spinning beat ball that follows a circular path, hitting keynotes to correspond with the beat of the music, and as players tap the keys they fill the Beat Rush gauge, which, when full, allows them to earn maximum points. The real-time emote motion system allows players to deploy unique dance-themed emotes in-game, enabling creative and dynamic communication between friends and competitors.

For more information on Redbana, or to check out Audition Season 2, visit: audition.redbana.com.

Rockstar Games Announces Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars video game for iPhone and iPod Touch


Rockstar Games, the world-renowned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., is pleased to announce that the critically acclaimed Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars from Rockstar Leeds, the winners of the 2009 Develop Award for Best Handheld Game Studio, will be making its way to the iPhone and iPod touch this fall.

"Chinatown Wars is a perfect match for the iPhone and iPod touch," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "We are very excited to bring this incredibly ambitious version of Liberty City, with this level of detail and immersive gameplay on Apple's new gaming platforms."

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is currently available for the Nintendo DS and is also coming this fall for the PlayStation Portable system. The game follows the story of Huang Lee, a young Triad who travels to Liberty City after the mysterious death of his father. Players will navigate their way through the streets as they uncover the truth behind an epic tale of crime and corruption within the Triad crime syndicate, delivering the unprecedented amount of depth that has become a true trademark of the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

For more information, log onto www.rockstargames.com/chinatownwars.

'Jounce' video game bounces into the App Store and onto New and Noteworthy list on iTunes.


Max Gaming is finally taking a moment from jumping around in excitement to pause and write a press release for Jounce. Less than a week after its initial release, Apple featured Jounce in the New and Noteworthy section of the App Store, and we’ve not been able to sit still since.

With over 32000 levels, Jounce can keep you busy for ages just flipping through level numbers. We realize though, watching numbers change can only be entertaining for so long, that’s why we included a large dose of Gameplay with every copy of Jounce. Yes, in a day and age where Shiny sells, we’ve decided to break the mold, and tried revitalizing a concept some have thought lost in the mists of time.

The goal is simple, balls fall from above, and you bounce them to their target below. But unlike many puzzle games, there is no “perfect” score possible. If you finish a level with just one move, congrats, you’ve made one of the lowest scores possible. Balls are worth one point for every bounce they make before reaching the goal, so yea, you can play things nice and calm, use just a few bouncers to direct the balls, and enjoy the soothing rhythm of Jounce. The sign of the true Jounce Master though, is an iPhone/Pod that sounds like a hyperactive monkey wearing hundreds of bells!

Jounce is available on the iTunes AppStore now, for just 99 cents currently, so stop reading press releases, and go buy Jounce! And keep an eye out for the next update of jounce, which will add Theme Customization, improved performance, and OpenFeint support!

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two is Xbox LIVE Arcade's Deal of the Week

monkey in top hat and tailsCan't wait until PAX to get your Penny Arcade fix? Then this offer is for you! Beginning today, Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two is Xbox LIVE Arcade's Deal of the Week. Now through Sept. 6, Xbox LIVE Gold members can experience the second installment of the award-winning episodic series for only 800 Microsoft points, a 33% discount on the regular price.

The madcap Penny Arcade experience continues in Episode Two of the RPG-adventure game series! Players can jump right in with a fresh character and new customization options or carry over their look and stats from Episode One. Plus, there are more puzzles, areas to explore, levels to gain and new difficulty settings to make the journey more insane than ever before. Rejoin Gabe and Tycho to go crazy with a whole new episode, moving ever closer to solving the mystery in the heart of New Arcadia.

"We're pleased to partner with Microsoft to offer gamers this week-long discount," said Hothead Games' director of marketing, Jody McLain. "It's fitting that fans have a chance to whet their appetites a little prior to the show."

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two is rated "M" for Mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board for all platforms.

NCAA Football 10 video game season showdown - with videos

footballer running with the ballSince the launch of NCAA Football 10 on July 14th, hundreds of thousands of college football fans have experienced the excitement of the all-new Season Showdown competition. The Season Showdown pre-season is now over and based on credits users have accumulated for their school of choice, the following institutions are in the top ten heading into the Season Showdown regular season:



1) Ohio State (more than 100 million credits earned during the pre-season)
2) Florida
3) Texas
4) Michigan
5) Miami
6) Florida State
7) USC
8) LSU
9) Alabama
10) Notre Dame



With the start of the Season Showdown regular season, there are now five categories in which users can earn credits. The winning school for each week is determined by a best of five format, so in addition to playing games on the console, it is imperative that users go online to play the web based games through the Facebook application http://seasonshowdown.easports.com.

* NEW! ONLINE VS. SHOWDOWN OPPONENT

Beginning today and throughout the regular season, in order to earn additional credits, Season Showdown participants will need to defeat their weekly Showdown opponent on Xbox 360 or PS3, which is determined by their school’s real world opponent for that week. For week No1, the game of the week is Miami vs. Florida State, as this matchup pits two top 10 Season Showdown teams against one another.

* NEW! WEB BASED GAME! ALLIES & RIVALS

[Play online through Facebook http://apps.facebook.com/seasonshowdown or at http://seasonshowdown.easports.com]
With the start of the regular Season Showdown season, the “Allies & Rivals” component is now live, as well. This online poll allows users five votes to put towards any five schools of their choice, with no school receiving more than one vote. By looking at who their rivals are playing each week, users could put votes towards their opponents’ team in hopes of keeping their rivals from winning that category.

* WEB BASED GAME! NCAA TRIVIA CHALLENGE
As the other web based feature, users can answer trivia questions that will be totaled and credited towards their school’s overall points.

* VS. CPU

Users can gain credits by playing on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 against any school offline.

* ONLINE VS. NATION

Users can gain credits by playing on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 against anyone online in the nation.

At the end of the regular season, based on credits accumulated, the top 32 Season Showdown schools will compete in a single elimination tournament to decide the ultimate Season Showdown champion.

Star Wars - The Force Unleashed New single-player level available for download- Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3

jedi fighting with light sabersA new single-player level for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is available now for Xbox 360 owners through Xbox LIVE Marketplace and for PlayStation 3 owners through the PlayStation Network. The level features The “Secret Apprentice” in a mission that continues the story of The Force Unleashed taking the Star Wars Saga in an entirely new and unexpected direction.

The mission begins at the end of the story of The Force Unleashed and re-imagines the Saga as if the Secret Apprentice had killed Darth Vader and taken his place at the Emperor’s side, becoming the most powerful Sith Lord in the universe. The story picks up as the Emperor sends his new apprentice to the planet Tatooine to dispatch Obi-Wan Kenobi - who has been hiding on the planet ever since the events of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. During their hunt for the reclusive Jedi, players will also explore the depths of Jabba the Hutt’s palace and encounter notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed completely re-imagines the scope and scale of the Force and casts players as Darth Vader’s “Secret Apprentice,” unveiling new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy seen through the eyes of a mysterious new character armed with unprecedented powers. Originally released in September 2008, the game quickly became the fastest-selling Star Wars game ever, and has since sold six million units worldwide.

Thorium Wars video Game comes to Nintendo DSiWare this September

thorium game cover battling machinesRelease Date Set for Early September 2009: In the aftermath of a devastating global conflict to control revolutionary Thorium fuel cell technology, the existence of mankind is faced with a new threat. The Thorions, a technically advanced super species of Thorium powered machines once developed to wage war for mankind, have now turned against them.

To stop the Thorions from destroying mankind altogether, you must develop the right tactics to drive them from their conquered land. Take control of the outcome as Thorium Wars proves to be the ultimate test for the survival of the fittest. Exciting features include:

Futuristic Vehicle Shooter: Blast through waves of Thorions using five powerful vehicles across twelve exciting missions.

Exotic Battlefields: Navigate your way through a wide variety of combat environments including deserts, lush valleys, oceans, air, and space.

Devastating Enemy Mechs: Face the terrifying army of Thorium beasts ranging from swarms of Redeye Drones to the bone crushing Manticore Walker.

Thorium Wars is scheduled to release in early September 2009.

WWII online Battleground Europe video game update to version 1.5, new features, advanced graphics and game play

tanks and soldiers enter town squareThe UNITY 3D game engine delivers a unique set of features for MMO design, allowing for play in huge, zone less worlds with thousands of simultaneous players interacting in a variety of environments. The foundation of the engine includes advanced physics, component-based damage and military-grade ballistics.

UNITY 3D has been utilized to produce a one-of-a-kind massively multiplayer experience in WWII ONLINE: BATTLEGROUND EUROPE, a combined-arms action/simulation game. It allows players to fight on the ground as infantry, command and crew vehicles such as tanks, fighters and bombers entirely in first-person featuring British, French and German forces.

Version 1.5 of the UNITY 3D game engine adds several key features including;

• New object instancing for improved efficiency in loading and display of huge game world and object libraries
• Shader 3.0 support for upgraded performance and effects
• Upgraded Normal and Specular Mapping for enhanced object visuals
• SpeedTree 4.2 Support
• ODE physics support for rag-doll style character animations
• Added support for OpenGL Shading Language (GLSL)

The UNITY 3D game engine powers the latest major upgrade to the massively multiplayer online game, WWII ONLINE: BATTLEGROUND EUROPE. Version 1.31, currently in Beta testing, will include updated graphics, effects, terrain objects and game play. Screenshots available at www.battlegroundeurope.com/131media .

• 1,000,000+ trees updated with new models, textures, normals and shadows
• Rag doll physics applied to infantry animations
• Many new special effects including muzzle flashes, hit effects and explosions
• Tree and object shadows
• Real-time water reflections
• New clutter system and objects adding thousands of grass fields and bushes
• New radial clutter system
• Dynamic Weather with new clouds/rain/sky/fog/lighting settings
• Thousands of new and updated terrain objects such as buildings, installations and cultural objects

Five-Song Preview of The Beatles - Rock Band - Participating Bars can host their own Rock Band Nights

beatles perform onstageHarmonix and MTV Games, announce the launch of “Rock Band Bar Nights,” a ground-breaking initiative providing tools for U.S. bar owners to host their own Rock Band Nights. The program gives bars a cutting-edge in-bar entertainment option to help increase foot traffic and provide Rock Band fans with the opportunity to take the stage for a true rock star experience.

Rock Band - featuring a full band performance with guitar, bass, drums and mic – is revolutionizing the standard karaoke night in bars. The Rock Band Bar Nights program expands the Rock Band social experience for current fans and gives new fans the opportunity to try the game in an authentic performance setting with a live crowd cheering them on.

To help venues host and promote their own Rock Band Bar Nights, the program offers support to registered bars with everything from exclusive Rock Band product offerings to multiplatform marketing support. Through an exclusive e-commerce store, the program will also provide bars with a full music solution to easily rock their bar with the extensive Rock Band catalogue featuring more than 800 tracks and growing every week!

To kick off the program, Harmonix and MTV Games are providing bars that sign up before September 8th with an exclusive five-song preview disc from The Beatles: Rock Band, allowing their customers to experience the highly anticipated game before it hits stores on September 9th.

In addition to offering in-bar support for this new entertainment option, the Rock Band Bar Nights program extends online and gives members direct access to the Rock Band community with hundreds of thousands of fans, as well as the chance to stay connected on Rock Band’s official Facebook and Twitter pages. In the coming months, Rock Band fans will be able to find official Rock Band Bar Nights in their area through an online application searchable by zip code and a mobile version available for download as a free iPhone application.

Interested bar owners or fans can check out www.RockBand.com/BarNights for registration and more information.