The all-new Create – A - Sim allows you to completely customize your Sims’ appearances making every Sim unique. The feature is easy-to-use and more powerful than ever, letting you fine-tune every aspect of your Sims’ face, customize their hair color, select the exact shade of their skin tone and determine much more to make lifelike Sims. It’s never been easier to make Sims that are thin, full-figured or muscular and everything in between! In true The Sims fashion, you can customize everything. Additionally, Create – a - Style allows for infinite possibilities to design the interior and exterior of your Sims surroundings, clothes and more.
Batman fans around the world will be excited to learn that Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame and leading television and stage actor Kevin Conroy will lend their voices to the Batman: Arkham Asylum videogame, co-published by Eidos, Inc. and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Known as the voice of BATMAN and BRUCE WAYNE for over fifteen years in various animated films and television series, Kevin Conroy will repeat his role as the CAPED CRUSADER, while Mark Hamill, who is also a veteran of many animated Batman properties, will again star as The Joker in the upcoming action-adventure title.
Featuring an original story penned exclusively for the game by famous Batman author, Batman: The Animated Series writer and five-time Emmy award winner, Paul Dini, Batman: Arkham Asylum, developed by Rocksteady Studios, will launch worldwide on Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 and Windows PC in the Summer of 2009. With intensely realistic graphics and a gothic, moody and extraordinarily detailed setting, Batman: Arkham Asylum offers diverse gameplay options to push the envelope for all action, adventure and superhero games in the future. Batman: Arkham Asylum exposes players to a unique, dark and atmospheric adventure taking them to the depths of the ARKHAM ASYLUM.
Tiga has expressed its condolences to all the people at Free Radical Design, the Nottingham based independent studio, which reportedly closed its doors yesterday.
Richard Wilson, CEO of Tiga, said:
“On behalf of all Tiga members, I would like to say how sorry the whole industry is to hear of the fate of Free Radical Design. The studio has employed some very talented teams developing first class games over the years. Free Radical Design has also been a member of Tiga and a strong supporter of our trade association. I would like to congratulate everyone at the studio for their past achievements and I wish everyone good fortune in finding a new job as quickly as possible. Free Radical Design’s demise highlights the difficult economic environment in which UK games developers do business.“Last night, Lord Mandelson, the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), advocated a form of ‘market-based industrial activism’. This approach, he said, means that ‘Policy should be activist in the sense that it recognises that government can and must complement market dynamics to get the best outcomes for our society and economy.’“The best outcome for the UK video games industry is an increase in the sector’s rate of growth and the return of the UK as the third largest developer of video games in the world. If we are to achieve these results then the Government must establish a more favourable tax environment and tackle the underlying skills shortages facing the industry. A tax break for games production and a larger supply of skilled workers may not have saved Free Radical Design. Nonetheless, this policy approach would strengthen the UK video games sector. The Secretary of State for BERR must take action.”
Empire of Sports opens its doors to sports fans across the globe
Empire of Sports is excited to announce that the first sports based MMO RPG is entering the next phase of its development: ‘Prologue’. Empire of Sports is an online universe entirely dedicated to sports-based game play, including tennis, football, skiing, bobsleigh, basketball as well as track and field.
Having kept the game playing community to a minimum during the initial private launch phase to generate feedback from the community, Empire of Sports is now ready to welcome a wider audience and thus continue to improve through to its official launch next year.
Thanks to the continued support and feedback of the Empire of Sports community, the developers have successfully evolved and improved gameplay mechanics, community tools, and group dynamics over the last few months. The business model has also been streamlined.
True to life, players must train their avatars in order to grow their skill sets and become the best in this world of sport. Players can also purchase in-game items which will facilitate strength and stamina and improve all-round performance.
The developers are keen to make further improvements in order to perfect the world’s first platform-dedicated sports MMO. The Prologue will mean gamers can now download Empire of Sports online free of charge and join over 150 nationalities already playing online and communicate their in-game experiences to help fine tune the gameplay and the business model during the final stages of development.
We Rock: Drum King, a brand new rhythm-action game for Nintendo Wii, which sees you becoming the drummer in a band that’s on the road to global stardom. It’s due to rock out across Europe in April 2009. Unlike many rhythm games, to become a music legend in We Rock: Drum King you only require two Wii Remotes, rather than having to clutter your living room with potentially expensive instruments. The remotes become your virtual drumsticks as you beat your way through 30 awesome tunes, including Bloc Party’s Banquet and Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf.
You start on the road to fame by creating your drummer and then joining a band, before performing in a range of increasingly spectacular venues – until you’re crowned the greatest rock band in the world.
Developed exclusively for the Nintendo Wii by ARC System Works, We Rock: Drum King takes full advantage of the innovative motion-sensing capabilities of the console. The game is played by moving the remotes as if you’re ‘air drumming’. Different drums – including snare, toms, hi-hat and bass – are simulated by waving the Wii Remotes while pressing a different button.
Wannabe drummers know exactly when and what drum to hit thanks to coloured indicators that scroll down the screen in time to the tune. The difficulty can be scaled too, so that beginners can pick-up-and-rock-out, whereas experienced beat masters can crank up the challenge to 11.
We Rock: Drum King will be released exclusively for Nintendo Wii in Europe in April 2009.
FEATURES:
Wide range of drumming styles/music Ready to rock straight from the box – no need for costly peripherals Create your own avatar before hitting the road Single and multiplayer modes 30 awesome tracks from well known artists Difficulty scaled so beginners have fun but experts face a real rock challenge
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two is now available for download on the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system in North America. Offered via the PlayStation Network, this version of Episode Two features PLAYSTATION 3 system features such as trophies, score ranking and background music (BGM) support and sells at $14.99 USD.
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.
Key Features:
• The madcap Penny Arcade experience continues. Meet all-new characters and see newly revealed strip favorites from Mike Krahulik, while reading laugh-out-loud dialogue from Jerry Holkins. • Pick up and play from any episode. Enjoy each self-contained story without having to play previous installments. • Get value for your gaming dollar. Play the entire episode in 6-10 hours for under $15, getting tremendous value that fits into your busy schedule. • Save what matters most. Carry over you character's stats and look from prior episodes. • Go crazy with a whole new level of customization. Check out even more options for you to design and develop your own character, seeing it come to life in 3D and in the comic-style 2D cut scenes. • Play it safe or go insane! New difficulty settings put you in charge of the action. • A deeper RPG-Adventure experience. Get into the game with more puzzles, areas to explore and levels to gain.
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two has been rated "M" for Mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board for all platforms.
Incredible Adventure sets a new standard for iPhone and iPod touch gaming
ngmoco (http://www.ngmoco.com), creator and publisher of games exclusively for iPhone and iPod touch, today announced it's excited to bring Rolando (http://rolando.ngmoco.com) to the Apple App Store in time for the holidays. Developed in collaboration with HandCircus™, Rolando is an ambitious action game that combines innovative play mechanics and the revolutionary capabilities of the iPhone and iPod touch to deliver a breakthrough entertainment experience.
“ngmoco is focused on creating the very best new game experiences for iPhone and iPod touch players around the world,” said Neil Young, CEO & founder of ngmoco. “As ngmoco’s first premium app, Rolando provides players with an amazing depth of content and showcases the great gaming capability of the iPhone and iPod touch.”
“We’ve been hugely impressed with the wonderful opportunities for gaming provided by the iPhone OS and can't wait to finally put our first title, Rolando, in the hands of iPhone and iPod touch gamers everywhere,” said Simon Oliver, Founder of HandCircus. “We've been working hard since the Apple App Store launched to bring Rolando to life, carefully crafting it to take full advantage of the unique features of iPhone & iPod touch.”
In Rolando, players use the accelerometer and the innovative Multi-Touch user interface of iPhone and iPod touch to guide their playful Rolandos through four visually-distinct worlds and 36 engaging levels filled with physics puzzles, pesky enemies and clever surprises. Rolando invites players to manipulate the game’s environment by interacting with over a dozen whimsical gizmos, ranging from lifts and drawbridges to catapults and bomb dispensers.
Wonderfully crafted by Simon Oliver’s HandCircus microstudio, Rolando’s signature style combines incredible gameplay with the bouncing rhythms of renowned break-beat artist Mr. Scruff with the vibrant, endearing visuals of pop illustrator Mikko Walamies. Rolando’s addictive approach to gameplay and memorable presentation are prominently featured in video previews available now on the Rolando website (http://rolando.ngmoco.com).
Rolando also features ngmoco’s unique iSave feature, which saves and restores progress whenever play is stopped or interrupted at exactly the place players left off. iSave and in-game checkpoints allow Rolando players to play at their own pace wherever and whenever they like.
Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, the action-packed game with the insanely long name has received a five-dollar price break and is now available for download on the PlayStation Network on the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system at the steal-of-a-deal price of $9.99.
In addition to receiving a generous price break, Psyonix Studios has also released the latest multi-feature update that only adds to the overall gaming fun-factor and experience associated with SARPBC.
Features included in this update:
• New "Cosmic" arena • Improved performance in network games • A server browser has been added during matchmaking • Players can now view leaderboards during matchmaking • News updates appear on the online page • Meters added to evaluate players' connection speed • Headsets can be plugged-in or swapped during gameplay
At absolutely no cost to the player "Cosmic," the newly added arena, presents a brand-new challenge to Battle-Cars combatants by integrating quarter-pipe ramps that lead up to each of the goals. Gamers will be graced with the majestic view of deep-space as the arena orbits a beautiful yet mysterious uncharted planet. Like other SARPBC arenas, "Cosmic" places the focus on teamwork and communication, but never lets fun fall in second place.
SARPBC features unique rocket-powered cars with incredible physics-based maneuverability, including the ability to rocket into the air or accelerate at supersonic speeds on the ground by racing over boost strips, obtaining boost capsules or by performing a rapid succession of acrobatic flips. While in the air, cars can roll, flip, jump, dodge or spin in a freestyle fashion. In the team-based soccer game, players maneuver their vehicles to perform breathtaking saves, awe-inspiring shots and of course achieve supersonic speeds that literally turn your opponents into scrap metal. These abilities, combined with the players' own creativity and skill create a unique and thrilling experience every time.
"We really wanted to give back to our growing community for the holidays," said Dave Hagewood, Founder/Development Director of Psyonix Studios. "We've added the most requested features, lowered the price of the game and added a free new arena. You get more Battle-Cars for your gaming buck!"
Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars is available now for only $9.99. A free trial version of the game, featuring both online and offline gameplay, is also available on the PlayStation Network.
Castlevania Chronicles now on PlayStation Network
The classic vampire-hunting franchise Castlevania makes its way onto PlayStation Network today, as Castlevania Chronicles is now available for download for $5.99.
Until now, this iteration of the 2D, whip-wielding action game had yet to be released in America.
In Castlevania Chronicles, players enter a world where Count Dracula has been resurrected to begin a new reign of terror across the land.
As Simon Belmont, descendant of legendary vampire hunters, players enter Dracula's estate armed with a killer whip to destroy the count and his minions to bring peace to Europe.
ANKAMA group, creator of internationally renowned MMORPG, DOFUS, is teaming up with Microsoft to develop its 1st console-based video game.
ANKAMA group has announced its partnership with Microsoft for the development of Islands of Wakfu, its 1st offering for the latest generation of game consoles. Islands of Wakfu, which is the most recent addition to ANKAMA’s crossmedia universe, retains DOFUS and Wakfu’s graphic touch, but adds the feel of an animated cartoon. This adventure/beat'em all style game can be played by two players in team mode and will reveal never seen before background content from the world of DOFUS and Wakfu.
Ankama Play, ANKAMA group’s newly created, independent next gen video game development studio, have recently finalised a deal with the software giant Microsoft.
Islands of Wakfu is planned for release in late 2009 on the Xbox Live Arcade.
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