Empire Interactive And The Bitmap Brothers Announce Extra Content For Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe

Empire Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of Silverstar Holdings and veteran British developer The Bitmap Brothers, today announced they will be releasing a range extra content for their Xbox LIVE Arcade title Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe.

Over the coming weeks a steady stream of content will be made available for download. Last week’s Theme Pack, containing four exclusive backdrops and a tiled Xbox blade, is followed up by this week’s addition of 4 new downloadable 3D Arenas, each with 3 variants, giving players even more customisable options.

Ian Higgins, CEO Empire Interactive said, “Offering extra content enables users to tailor the unique Speedball experience to their own individual taste and offers additional promotional opportunities to increase awareness and downloads.”

Since its release on 17th October, Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe has generated tremendous downloads on Xbox LIVE Arcade and received extensive coverage and rave reviews in the gaming press.

“…one of the all-time classic retro games.” Official Xbox 360 Magazine; Review Score 8/10

“…the sort of game that makes Xbox Live Arcade one of the most exciting gaming platforms around.” Euro Gamer; Review Score 8/10

Mike Montgomery, of developers Bitmap Brothers commented, “The extra content, and in particular the arenas, players and strips, dramatically enhance game play and make a real contribution to making Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe the definitive package.”

Regarded as a break-though title that took the sports genre to a new level, the Bitmap Brothers classic, Speedball, was first released for the Amiga in 1990 and quickly became a huge success. However it wasn’t until the release of its sequel, Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe that the title reached new gaming heights and sold over 2 million units. It is still considered by many to be one of the best games of all time. The Xbox LIVE Arcade version is a perfect conversion of Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe but with the addition of an all-new High Definition version, more teams and downloadable content, whilst still retaining all the classic elements that have made it a firm favorite amongst gamers.

At a cost ranging from 100MP to 150MP the extra content releases will please both hard-core fans and new generations of Speedball gamers.

Content: - Release Date:
Theme Pack - 31/10
Arena Pack - 07/11
Gamer Pics 1 - 14/11
Super Star Players - 28/11
Team Strips Pack - 12/12
Gamer Pics 2 - 09/01

Advanced Tactics video game Update

Brand new 1.02 update on your desk and awaiting approval, Herr General

Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) and VR Designs (www.advancedtactics.org) are pleased to announce that a new update for their popular World War II turn-based strategy game, Advanced Tactics: World War II, is now available. This latest 1.02 official update brings over 20 fixes, balance tweaks, and improvements to the table. Specifically, many minor bugs were fixed, the Europe at War scenario has been updated, unit costs were tweaked a bit, and the balance of units like scouts, flak, level bombers, heavy tanks, and more has been improved.

David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said, “Advanced Tactics has been enormously well received by gamers and critics alike and this update is yet another step in the right direction for VR Designs. Advanced Tactics has so much solid gameplay and replayability that we expect it to stay on your hard drive for ages and never get old. You can count on Matrix Games and VR Designs to continue to improve and support this wonderful game.”

Victor Reijkersz of VR Designs added “Thanks so much for the overwhelming community support I’ve received from fans. Your feedback has added tremendously to the continuing success of Advanced Tactics and we plan on continuing to improve this great gaming system as time goes on. The next update is already in the works!”

Advanced Tactics is a versatile turn-based strategy system that gives gamers the chance to wage almost any battle in any time period. The first module in this series is Advanced Tactics: World War II, which allows gamers to command a mighty army and storm across Europe. Complete with a streamlined interface and an addicting style of gameplay, Advanced Tactics offers a unique and infinitely replayable experience for any strategy fan.

Depending on the scenario, you can decide what your towns should produce, which HQs receive reinforcements, how your chain of command is formed, what sort of troop and equipment mix you put in each unit, if you use air, land, or sea strategies or maybe even call in the paratroopers – the possibilities are endless! Almost any type of strategy or tactic can be used effectively in Advanced Tactics. Perhaps the most powerful feature in Advanced Tactics is the ability to generate random maps and scenarios, giving the player endless hours of strategic fun without having to repeat a single battle or campaign!

Get more information on Advanced Tactics: World War II from its official Matrix Games webpage. This update will bring the game up to version 1.02 and is comprehensive.

Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion v1.01 Patch and updated Demo

Today we have for you the first patch for our recently released product, Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion. This v1.01 Patch includes a number of user requested changes, bug fixes and editor enhancements. We have also added a great deal of material to the game manual itself since many players have asked for more details on all the new changes in the expansion. The full patch details and download link are listed below.

In addition to the v1.01 Patch, we have also updated the Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Demo. The new demo includes all the relevant v1.01 updates.

Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion v1.01 Patch
Please note, this is a PATCH for the Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion and will only work for the Battlefront.com English language version. This patch will not work with any non-English version of Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion at this time.
Separate patches for the other language versions will be released in the future.

v1.01 Version History:
GAME ENGINE CHANGES
- fixed an AI destroyer unit combat error
- fixed an AI upgrade unit error
- fixed an animation replay error
- fixed a MINOR country Corps purchase error
- paratroops that are preparing and engineers that are fortifying are no longer hidden under FoW
- subs caught in sea ice no longer raid convoy lanes until sea ice clears
- subs now use the following rules:
- Silent
- Sub can pass through hidden enemy units except for a Destroyer under FoW
- Sub cannot attack convoy lanes
- Hunt
- Sub cannot pass through hidden enemy units under FoW
- Sub can attack convoy lanes
- Note, a Sub will dive (if a dive is successful) when attacked and move away under either Silent or Hunt mode
- transfer of capitals now reduces that country's morale the same as it would if an ally were to surrender
- transfer of capitals now increase occupier's morale the same as it would if it forced the surrender of a country
- any country tha t has a capital transferred to a disconnected area loses its current production/queue items
(complete wipe out) unless the transfer location is connected to the current location of the capital (pre-transfer) or
to any of the Industrial Center locations for that country
- fixed a script handling error for #CONDITION_POSITIONs
- fixed a Paratroop glider sound error when playing under Military unit icons mode
- fixed a Paratroop drop and new unit selection error when Fortifications are destroyed or a Paratroop unit takes
landing casualties
- surprise encounters will now only apply the 'Hidden Attacker Readiness Bonus' to decrease attacker losses and not to also
increase defender losses as was previously the case
- fixed an 'add_unit' bug when minors are activated
- fixed a resource mpp calculation error that did not include Fortresses if a value was assigned to them
- fixed a bug where custom combat supply loss values via the Editor were not being read in game

EDITOR RELATED CHANGES
- fixed the military unit bitmaps to show some differentiation between tactical bombers and strategic bombers
- replaced Manstein with Bittrich in the Wacht Am Rhein scenario
- removed all incorrect references to O'Conner in the 1939 and 1940 campaigns and replaced them with O'Connor
- fixed a SURRENDER_2 script error for the surrender of Italy
- added several new Axis Middle East OFFENSIVE events
- added several new Axis Middle East TRANSPORT events
- added several new Axis Middle East GARRISON events
- added several new ACTIVATION#3 events
- added #PRODUCTION_LOST= entry to localization.txt
- fixed a Polish campaign victory condition error
- fixed several Spanish Civil War campaign errors
- updated Manual with several new entries regarding c hanges in Weapons and Warfare

File Details
Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion v1.01 Patch
Filesize: 124.75 Megabytes

Link to Patch download site:
http://www.battlefront.com/products/sc2/sc2_wwe/patch.html
Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion Demo (v1.01)

This demo includes two playable campaigns, Fall Weiss which depicts the German invasion of Poland and Wacht Am Rhein, better known as the Battle of the Bulge. Multiplayer modes are di sabled in the demo but both campaigns are playable against the AI as either the Axis or the Allies.

Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion incorporates a huge list of new features frequently asked for by the fan community, including a bigger world map, new units, enhanced naval movement and combat rules, a deeper weather model, additional terrain types and resources, the simulation of roads and railways and a greatly extended editor with the ability to add in scripted Image and Sound events and much more.

This demo does NOT require Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg to already be installed, however the full game does.
Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion is currently available for sale. More details can be found here: Official Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion Website - http://www.battlefront.com/products/sc2/sc2_wwe/index%20.html

File Details
Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion v1.01 Demo
Filesize: 93.05 Megabytes
Link to Demo Site:
http://www.battlefront.com/products/sc2/sc2_wwe/demo.html

World's Largest Multi-Game Home Arcade video game

Featuring a 120-inch high definition projector the Dreamcade Vision 120 is Wii compatible this monster delivers a larger than life gaming experience to arcade fans!

Dream Arcades (http://www.DreamArcades.com), is the leader in providing high-quality, low cost home video arcades unveils this season's hottest arcade product, the Dreamcade Vision 120. The Vision 120 comes complete and ready to play with more than 145 classic arcade games, including all of your favorite classic games from Atari, Midway, Namco, Digital Leisure, and Capcom as well more than 7,000 classic console games. The system also supports Nintendo's Wii console and even includes a wireless sensor bar.

Retail price is $3,999 and the Dreamcade Vision 120 can be found online at www.dreamarcades.com.

"Ever since my childhood I have dreamed of playing with classic arcade characters." says Michael Ware, Owner of Dream Arcades. "Now this dream can become a reality with this Dream Arcades system featuring a projection screen so large that Street Fighter characters appear life sized and others like the ghosts and zombies from Ghosts 'n Goblins and Pac-Man are almost scary!"

Dreamcade Vision 120 Features:
. High powered projector - Bright enough for daytime use!
. 120-inch Portable projection screen - makes it simple to set up, move, and store
. Dreamcade 2.0 Gaming PC - modern PC games can be played using authentic arcade controls
. More than 145 classic arcade games including Ms. Pac-man, Centipede, Dig Dug, and many more.
. Free year's subscription to more than 7,000 classic console games via Console Classix, including games for Atari, ColecoVision, NES, SuperNES, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, Sega GameGear, and GameBoy.
. Component and HDMI video inputs for your Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii for the ultimate in modern gaming as well as classic arcade games.

Arcade Control Panel Features:
. Lighted trackball - For authentic gaming action on games like Centipede and Missile Command
. Spinner - To play retro classics like Warlords, Breakout and Pong
. Full arcade control panel with additional side buttons allows playing nearly any game from Street fighter to MAME pinball as well as modern games and classic console games through Console Classix
. Removable control panel - Gives you the ultimate versatility

Blu-ray Disc Movie Sales Across Europe Surpass 1 Million Units

Blu-ray disc accounts for 73% of High Definition discs sold

Total Blu-ray Disc movie sales across Europe have topped one million units, it was announced today by the Blu-ray Disc Association European Promotions Committee. Of the High Definition movie discs bought by consumers year-to-date in Europe, 73% were in the Blu-ray Disc format and 27% were HD DVD, according to sales data provided by Media Control Gfk International.*

The only High Definition packaged media universally supported by the film, music, gaming and computer industries, BD is the #1 selling High Definition packaged media. The one million sales figure relates to movies: if BD game disc production is added into the equation then total number of discs produced for sale in Europe already exceeds 21 million units. The so-called ‘PlayStation effect’ is important since it is creating major economies of scale and makes BD disc replication cost effective.

Blu-ray Disc movie sales experienced their highest weekly sales since the inception of the format, in week 44, topping 66,000 units. * This is due to the launch of new release titles such as 300, Spider-Man 3, Die Hard 4.0 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End releasing in some markets.

“This is an important milestone for Blu-ray Disc in Europe and proves once again that whenever consumers have the choice they decide overwhelmingly in favour of BD,” stated Frank Simonis, Chairman of the Blu-ray Disc European Promotions Committee. “Early indicators show that the Christmas holiday season will be exceptionally good for Blu-ray Disc across all categories from packaged media to standalone players and BD capable games consoles.”

Blu-ray Disc has become the first High Definition movie format to sell more than one million discs in Europe, with Blu-ray Disc's sales lead over the rival HD DVD format increasing each month since the PS3’s release in March, outselling HD DVD by 2:1 YTD and 3:1 since the launch of the PS3.

The launch of the PS3 in March was seen as a turning point for the Blu-ray Disc format across Europe, with weekly movie sales of Blu-ray Disc titles averaging between two- and five-times the amount of HD DVD sales week over week.*

The best selling Blu-ray titles year-to-date are 300 – the number one selling title in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Benelux and Sweden and Casino Royale - the number one selling title in UK and Ireland.

News of the 1 millionth Blu-ray Disc sale in Europe was met with pleasure in many of the leading Hollywood studios. Bob Chapek, Worldwide President, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment believes that this news is the prelude for an exponential growth period in BD sales.

“Blu-ray will inevitably prevail because Blu-ray delivers what consumers want: True High Definition picture without compromise, the best sound quality, the best choice in content, the most in special features, and of course the most disc storage capacity. No tradeoffs. No compromises,” commented Chapek.

Notes to Editors:

Blu-ray Disc is a next generation optical disc format developed for High Definition video and high-capacity software applications. A single-layer Blu-ray Disc holds up to 25 gigabytes of data and a dual-layer Blu-ray Disc holds up to 50 gigabytes of data. This greater storage capacity enables the Blu-ray

Disc to store over six times the amount of content than is possible with current DVDs, and is particularly well-suited for High Definition feature films with extended levels of additional bonus and interactive material, as well as next generation computer games.

Also, Blu-ray Disc features the most advanced copy protection, player backward compatibility with the current DVD format, connectivity and advanced interactivity. Showcasing picture quality with six times the resolution of DVD and theatre quality “uncompressed” audio for the purest digital sound, the cutting-edge discs also feature enhanced and integrated menus, games, High Definition bonus materials and Java-encoding for more dynamic and sophisticated interactivity.

Nintendo DS Passes Game Boy Advance Sales Record, Wii Becomes Must-Have Gift

In the first week of the 2007 holiday shopping season, Nintendo of America has sold more Nintendo products than at any other time in its history. This includes more than 653,000 Nintendo DS™ portable video game systems, 350,000 Wii™ home systems and millions of games and accessories throughout the United States - and the season is just getting started.

Nintendo DS set a new all-time sales record for Thanksgiving week, eclipsing the previous mark of 600,000 Game Boy® Advance systems sold during the same period in the United States in 2005. Nintendo DS remains on track to be the top-selling video game system of 2007.

Nintendo's 350,000 Wii systems represent the highest one-week U.S. sales total outside of its launch week one year ago. Wii has been dubbed the must-have gift of the 2007 holiday season and has been placed at the top of numerous gift lists. Nintendo has repeatedly increased its shipments and its fiscal-year sales forecast for Wii in an attempt to meet soaring demand. Wii reached 5 million sold in the United States faster than any video game system in history, after only 12 months of availability there.

Both Wii and Nintendo DS have continued their yearlong momentum into the holidays without altering their prices. And both remain attractive values for shoppers: Wii has an MSRP of $249.99, while Nintendo DS has an MSRP of $129.99.

"As shoppers look for ways to maximize their limited holiday spending money, they turn to gifts that can be used by the entire family," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "Wii and Nintendo DS offer something for every member of the family. They're the most fun video game experiences at the most affordable price."

With higher gas prices and fuel costs, and the lukewarm expectations for the 2007 holiday shopping season, Wii and Nintendo DS might be just what Santa ordered: Thirty-five percent of consumers said they plan to spend less than they did last year, according to a survey conducted by Opinion Research Corp. for the Consumer Federation of America and the Credit Union National Association. Similarly, a USA Today/Gallup Poll showed that 25 percent of Americans expect to spend less on gifts this year than they did in 2006.

Note that the internal Nintendo of America numbers referenced in this release represent sales from Sunday, Nov. 18, through Saturday, Nov. 24.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

Ben 10 Skins A Blast Down Under for DS video games

Wrapstar has teamed up with D3P to produce Ben 10 skins for a promotional campaign in Australia.

The Ben 10 skins were used as a promotional giveaway with copies of the new Nintendo DS Ben 10 game in an exclusive deal with Australian retail giant Toys ‘R’ Us.

The campaign has been so popular that over 600 units were sold in the game’s first week of release, more than any other format or retailer down under.

Wrapstar has much previous success with producing promotional skins. Past pre-order campaigns have included skins for EA’s My Sims title as well as Atari’s Arthur and The Invisibles and Tamagotchi.

Wrapstar skins are a distinctive way to customise, refresh and protect gaming machines and iPods. Made of unique high-quality cast vinyl, the skins are designed to maintain a vibrant, glossy finish and to resist general wear and tear. Wrapstar’s top-secret special adhesive also ensures that no sticky goo is left behind on your device upon removal of the skin.

The range now includes many new and existing designs as well as promotional skins and licensed designs, such as Wrapstar’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) skins.

Wrapstar Managing Director Max Haddow says, “Wrapstar’s Promotional skins allow publishers and developers to brand gaming machines with their titles. These act as a constant reminder to the user as well as having the added benefit of continual advertisement of their brands to a wider audience. The benefits of using our skins as an added value, pre-order campaign or bundle deal has seen huge uplifts in sales of the software, particularly with Ben 10”.

The full range of designs can be viewed on the website at www.wrapstar-skins.com

Wrapstar skins are available online via Amazon and GAME and the RFU range can be purchased in-store at Twickenham or online via RFU.

Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (PS3) Review

Unleash your inner Rock Legend! (Sort of)

I admit it. I fell for the craze. After skipping the first two Guitar Heroes, I fell for the temptation of part 3. I pre-ordered it! I paid the somewhat ridiculous amount of $102.99 for the bundle. And you know what? It was worth it. Is it a perfect game? No. Is it a revolutionary game? No. Is it great fun? That’s a resounding yes.

Gameplay :

If you don’t know what Guitar Hero is about, you have been living under a rock. But just in case you are one of the few cavemen left on Earth, Guitar Hero 3 gives you the opportunity to rock like a superstar at your very own house (or cave). Using a guitar-shaped controller with colored fret buttons, a whammy bar and a strum, you follow on-screen cues with timing and rhythm to match the guitar sounds of classic songs like Guns N Roses “Welcome to the Jungle” and Iron Maiden’s “Number of the Beast”. And that is all there is to it.

Since this is my first Guitar Hero game, I found the experience to be a breath of fresh air. Getting used to the guitar controller takes some time, especially in the medium, hard and expert difficulties, which require the use of the pinky finger, a finger not normally used in any gaming experience. However, if you stick around, you will start nailing those notes and rocking like a pro. I have never played a real life guitar. I can’t even dance, I have no rhythm…but I still learned to play. So if you are one of those guys who is somewhat interested in the franchise but has not given in yet because of these concerns, rest assured that with some practice you will learn to play. The neck of the guitar has five colorcoded buttons. One green, one red, one yellow, one blue and one orange in that order. You need to hold the button (or buttons) indicated in the screen while strumming to play a note. The whammy bar comes into play during extended notes, where you are able to hold the notes and move the whammy to change the sound of the note and get extra points. You also need to tilt the guitar to activate star power. During the songs some of the notes will appear in star shapes. Playing the entire series of notes with this shape without missing one will earn you a small amount of star power. By tilting the guitar with the star power meter full, you will double your score multiplier for a short time. This causes the screen to turn blue and shiny and every note you play will be worth double the amount of points. The idea is to use star power when you have a 4x multiplier, so that it doubles to 8x and nets an insane amount of points.

The game’s main attraction is the career mode. Here you will progress trough several tiers of songs, each located on a different venue. Beating songs in the career nets you cash that you use to unlock new stuff from the shop and also unlocks the next tier of songs. Songs range from incredibly easy like Foghat’s “Slow Ride” to insanely difficult like Slayer’s “Raining Blood”. But all songs are beatable with some practice, at least in the easy and normal difficulties (more on that in a minute). As your band gets more famous you will be challenged to Guitar Battles by famous guitarists like Tom Morello and Slash. Beating them unlocks an encore song and also the next tier.

More from 411.com

Meet the Mario Maestros Who Have Videogame Music Rocking Concert Halls

Illustration by Ronald Kurniawan
Tennessee Williams. Aaron Copland. Dizzy Gillespie. Some of the nation's most respected artists have been honored onstage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, over the past few decades. On a recent evening, it was Sam Greszes' turn.

Greszes, a lanky 18-year-old Northwestern University student, wasn't being feted for his contribution to American arts and letters but for his costume: He waddled onto the main stage of the concert hall dressed as a human-sized, L-shaped Tetris piece.

This wasn't the Kennedy Center Honors but a performance of Video Games Live, a 135-minute showcase of music from arcade, computer, and console titles, arranged for and performed by a 66-piece orchestra and a 16-person choir.

To win the best-costume prize, awarded just before the show began, Greszes beat out a Mega Man, two Marios, and a whole lot of Links. As he took the stage — cutting from side to side as he approached the podium in imitation of a Tetris piece — the thousand-strong audience erupted into a raucous bout of hooting.

More here from: WIRED

Flaws and all, 'Crysis' still a good video game

"Crysis" is a good game.

I have to say this in advance because it's true. It's a very good game. It's hard to stop playing once you start, but what stands out once you're done are the flaws. The game is not perfect and while the good parts may be mostly subtle, the problems are definitely obvious.

The first major problem, oddly enough, is the graphics. Before its release "Crysis" was anticipated for its cutting edge, photo-realistic imagery. And I'm sure it has that ... if you've paid more than $5,000 for your computer in the past couple months. For the rest of us, we'll have to settle for the graphical settings turned down to a mix of medium and high and a lower resolution, which seems like a waste.

However, even on medium, the graphics, while not quite what we were promised, are much better than many other games. Individual leaves and blades of grass are rendered and lit. From a high enough point you can see most of the island on which the game takes place. Everything from the buildings to the trees are destructible and can be used for cover. Wildlife crawls and flies around, and the sun rises and sets. But in order to see all the flora and fauna on my 2.4 GHz Intel Core2 Quad and my Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS, the texture detail has to be turned down and anti-aliasing turned off. It's disappointing since all the promotional screen shots were apparently taken on the very high setting so that's what one expects it to look like.
The story is good by shooter standards,but there's a reason I didn't mention it before the graphics. A few years ago it would be more than you would expect, but in the age of "Bioshock" it feels like a tacked on excuse to shoot people. You're a Special Forces soldier sent to a remote island to rescue an archeology team from North Koreans who accidentally unleash an alien invasion. It does the job but isn't the genre's new high water mark by any means.

Crysis takes the best parts from several different shooters. The recharging health and energy are very reminiscent of Halo's health and shield, but rather than always providing protection the energy also powers your suit's other abilities. These abilities -- speed, strength, armor and cloak, all of which behave just like they sound -- are all very useful depending on the situation so switching them on the fly becomes crucial. The vehicle system isn't just reminiscent of the Battlefield series, it appears to be lifted directly from it. The handling and physics feel almost identical.

This brings us to the second problem. The game tries to be too many things at once. It mixes too many different styles and doesn't do any of them really well. The scarcity of ammo, the cloak and the Far Cry style ability to hide in the bushes suggest it should be a stealth game. At the same time, the sheer quantity of enemies, the annoyingly short life of the cloak and the focus on very noisy vehicles make it resemble a trigger-happy action shooter.

What this results in is an occasionally frustrating experience as you desperately try to sneak away from a dozen enemies because the stealth aspects of the game make it nearly impossible to take them all on. The action aspects of the game make it nearly impossible to get around them.

The reason they're so hard to avoid is because they use remarkable teamwork. They talk to each other intelligently and call for help, going so far as to flank you and lay down suppression fire. (Ironically, while they interact with each other very well, they often fail to notice getting shot in the back when you're using a silencer unless someone else sees it and tells them. The developers must have spent so much time on communication they forgot self-preservation.)

The other gameplay flaw is that the mild puzzle aspects inserted in the otherwise freeform gameplay, either through poor level design or poor planning, turn into desperate scavenger hunts. For example one assignment is to take out two tanks. (I promise that while this may seem like a spoiler now you'll thank me when you get there.) It's impossible to do so with the gear you have, a fact you only figure out after trying. The secret -- and this took me some time -- is to go across town to find a rocket launcher hidden behind a counter. With two tanks and what seems like half the North Korean army after you. That's really not a lot of fun when you don't even know what you're looking for or even that there is something to look for.
The final problem and probably the most severe is that "Crysis" has a midgame identity crisis. The first part is a rare sandbox shooter. You're given a goal and, aforementioned scavenger hunts aside, many methods of handling it. Not just predetermined routes which you can choose from either, for the most part the destructible environments really let you use your creativity to solve problems.

Then, for reasons I still don't understand, it becomes more of a traditional corridor shooter. Just when you're getting used to the freeform, wide open gameplay, it throws you into tunnels and hallways. Then it switches again to what amounts to a long escort mission before finishing with a rail shooter. Why does it give up on the core aspect of its gameplay as soon as the player gets into it in favor of the least popular of all mission types? I couldn't even begin to guess.

For all its flaws, "Crysis" is a good game. It's not the next "Half-Life" or "Halo." but it's well above average for the genre. It's a jack of all trades complete with the traditional lack of mastery. If you have the computer to handle it, there's no reason that you shouldn't pick it up. You'll be impressed by the visuals and satisfied by the first segment of the gameplay, and the freeform aspects mean you'll want to replay it just to see what you can do differently. But if your processor is anything less than dual-core, you're better off passing until affordable hardware catches up.

Source: Contra Costa Times

Video games to blame for England's failure to reach Euro 2008

West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green has blamed the increasing popularity of video games among English boys for the country's failure to reach the finals of the Euro 2008 football championships.

The in-form England international, who saved a penalty to ensure a 1-1 draw with the Hammers top-flight London rivals Tottenham on Sunday, was overlooked by former national coach Steve McClaren for last week's key qualifier with Croatia at Wembley.

Instead McClaren gave a competitive debut, in a match where England had to get a point to have a chance of making it through to next year's tournament in Austria and Switzerland, to Aston Villa's Scott Carson.
Carson gifted the visitors an early lead when when he failed to get his body behind a 30-yard shot from Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar.

Croatia were on their way to a 3-2 win and England coach Steve McClaren on his way to the sack.
Following the defeat, all sorts of theories were advanced for England's poor performance, including a lack of technique and misplaced notions of innate football superiority.

But Green cited an economic cause as a reason for England's failure.

"We would have the best team if we could go into every household and throw away every PlayStation, Xbox and video game.
"We have the players and the best league in the world. The way the game is played here is so different though.

"Watching the Premier League is like Formula One - it's that quick - and then you go to an international game and it's like a game of chess.

"Other countries seem to bring on world-class players, countries like Argentina and Brazil where often it's football or nothing.
"In contrast we live in a country where we have choices and perhaps the will to do it, the need to escape your own situation, is not so clear."

Green, given his England debut by Sven-Goran Eriksson, now in charge at Manchester City, said another overseas coach, such as Portuguese former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, should replace McClaren.

"For England, it should be the right man for the job. A Swede gave me my debut so I'm not one to say it must be an Englishman.

"I wouldn't look further than Jose Mourinho. He has the character and know-how to deal with the job as well as the passion."

Source: AFP

The Simpsons Game - Review

Genuine humour is a notoriously difficult thing to carry off in a video game. The fact that the player is in control of the pace means the all-important element of comic timing is utterly compromised. As a result there has been only a handful of games blessed with the ability to make you laugh out loud. Thankfully, it's now possible to add another to that elite group.

The Simpsons Game is funny, then. As you might expect, much of the humour relies on the player having some familiarity with the TV show, but the vast majority of the gags will amuse even if you've been locked in a time capsule for the past two decades and have bypassed The Simpsons craze altogether.

Rather than take the easy option or creating a game that sticks slavishly to the plot of the recent cinematic outing, EA has wisely decided to create a unique experience and has packed the product with a quite frankly insane amount of fan service. If you're a passionate gamer, you'll lap up the sharp observations and satirical comments featured within The Simpsons. Fun is poked at high-ranking mascots, game designers and general video gaming clichés (predictable 'weak spots' on end-of-level bosses, for instance), all in the typically cutting Simpsons style.

Although other companies have taken similar steps and produced knowingly 'post modern' hits (such as Nintendo with its WarioWare franchise), the acerbic humour seen in The Simpsons is head and shoulders above anything that has been before. EA is arguably the last company you'd expect to encourage this kind of wonderfully anarchic mickey-taking, but it should be commended for not pulling any punches.

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The publisher also deserves praise for acquiring the services of not only the original voice actors, but also the scriptwriters who make the TV show such a riot. Couple this with several minutes of animated cut-scenes and you have an experience that is faithful to the source material in a way few other licensed games have ever managed.

It's a bit of a shame, then, that underneath these wonderfully polished trimmings the actual core game itself isn't tremendously arresting. Unlike the DS version – which was rather hampered by the modest hardware – the PSP edition takes direct inspiration from the home console versions of the game. It's best described as a 3D platformer, although there are brawling elements included as well.

Each member of the Simpsons family possesses two standard attacks and a variety of different abilities, each ideally suited to overcoming the particular problems and obstacles that litter the levels within the game. Sadly, you can't tackle the stages with a character of your choosing but some missions do involve another family member, which adds a much-needed touch of diversity to proceedings.

Presentation is somewhat inconsistent. The graphics are obviously scaled down from the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, resulting in some rather angular-looking character models, but everything moves along at a fair old pace. Level designs, meanwhile, range from decent to downright ugly, but much of their appeal lies in the fact that they reference familiar locations in the TV show. Lastly, the 3D camera is prone to causing some serious headaches during play and cannot be relied upon to always give you the best view of the action.

The sound fares better. As previously mentioned, several members of the original cast have been drafted in to provide their vocal talents exclusively for the video game and the sheer amount of spoken dialogue contained within the game means you don't get annoyed with any constantly repeating phrases. The music is also extremely faithful to that heard in the show.

When we reviewed the DS edition a while back we were a little disappointed by the rather slim play time. Alas, the same criticism applies to this version, too. With a few days' solid play you'll breeze through the game quite easily, and there's precious little here in terms of replay value.

One can imagine that when EA decided to snap up The Simpsons video game licence, it set itself the task of making the best piece of software ever based on the animated family. Thanks to the humour, above-average gameplay and incredible authenticity, it's undeniably succeeded. But, of course, you have to put things in perspective and consider the generally awful standard of past Simpsons games. Nevertheless, EA's effort comes with a cautious recommendation.

Source: Pocket Gamer

Experts test the video game systems in time for Christmas

Game on!
With videogame systems expected to be among the hottest gifts this holiday season, the Big 3 are slugging it out for superiority.

Consoles from Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony are more powerful — and more fun — than ever, as gamers continue to benefit from high-stakes competition.

Deciding which system is best is highly subjective. Nintendo's Wii is the most affordable, it's games are cheaper and fans say its motion-sensing controls make it a better deal at any price. But hardcore gamers tend to shun the Wii, considering the novel controls a gimmick.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 has such a powerful built-in computer — capable of downloading and storing movies — that enthusiasts say it outmuscles the competition. Gamers can play each other online, though the software giant charges $50 a year for the privilege.

The September release of Xbox's wildly popular "Halo 3" game has it on top of the heap — for now.

Sony's PlayStation has a little bit of everything and the company's online store makes it easy to download games and movies. A new, top-of-the-line model has an 80-gigabyte hard drive and comes with the hit dirt track racing game "MotorStorm."
Your Money sought out Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, the duo behind the popular Internet comic strip penny-arcade.com, for their unique and expert critiques of the computer gaming triumvirate. They've been making fun of video games since 1998, but we got them to be serious (well, kind of) to help you make the right choice.

Nintendo Wii
Nintendo's $250 Wii is only a bit more powerful than its predecessor, the GameCube, but that hasn't stopped it from selling more quickly than it can be made. What sets the Wii apart is its unique motion-sensing controls. Hold the Wii remote like a baseball bat and swing, and your character gets a double, like in "Wii Sports." Turn it like a key to open a door, like in the science-fiction shooter "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption." Or flick it for a midair spin, like in "Super Mario Galaxy."

The cost means it's going to be the choice for price-sensitive parents. It's got a lot of family-oriented games, too.

Fans are looking forward to next year's Nintendo fighting game "Super Smash Bros. Brawl," which features Nintendo's most memorable characters.

Penny Arcade's Take: It'll keep flying off the shelves. "Adults associate video games with Nintendo," Mike Krahulik said. But it probably won't satisfy the appetites of the hardcore all by itself. "I don't think there's much meat there," Jerry Holkins said.

Penny Arcade's Pick: " ‘Super Mario Galaxy.' It's a work of genius," Holkins said.

Microsoft Xbox 360
Microsoft's Xbox 360 is the leader of the pack, riding a wave of success after the September release of "Halo 3." It comes in three different flavors: a $279 Arcade model with no hard drive to save games, a $350 Premium unit with a 20GB hard drive and a $450 Elite system with 120GB of storage and HDMI video output, aimed at videophiles who plan on downloading aplenty.

Like Sony's offering, the 360 offers a full-featured online gaming experience, but Microsoft charges an annual fee of $50. The 360 has perhaps the most diverse library of worthy titles, with high-concept thriller "BioShock" and far-future roleplaying game "Mass Effect" both garnering some of the highest critical praise this year.

Penny Arcade's Take: Don't get a 360 without a hard drive. "If you are serious about playing games, you can't get that Arcade model," Jerry Holkins said. "That system is not a good buy for consumers."

Penny Arcade's Pick: The realistic war simulator "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare," is prime, Holkins said. It's "like playing through an action movie." Krahulik named the first-person thriller "BioShock" as his topper. Both agreed "Halo 3" is the game to get.

Sony PlayStation 3
Sales have been picking up recently with the availability of a $400 model that comes with a 40-gigabyte hard drive and a copy of the summer blockbuster "Spider-Man 3" on Blu-ray disc. There's also the $500, top-shelf version, which is good for downloading movies, games and original PlayStation titles.

But gamers said the only system-exclusive games worth the $60 are "Resistance: Fall of Man," "Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction" and the treasure-hunting adventure "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune." Next year will see the release of much-hyped and PlayStation-exclusive sequels, like the stealth action title "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots" and role-playing game "Final Fantasy XIII."

Penny Arcade's Take: "There's not much of a reason to buy one this holiday season," Mike Krahulik said. Next year "is going to be their year," Jerry Holkins said. Penny Arcade's Pick: "Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction" is pretty much pure fun," Krahulik said. "It's very Pixar," Holkins agreed.

Source: New York Times

Make your own little foggy fog

This is my new little paper tribute, this time to my favourite walking about in the fog game by Konami. Silent Hill 2 is one of tubbypaws’ number 1 games and I always play every time I am worried that I have brought too much cuteness into the world.

You can make your own little foggy fog game papercraft if you print out this pattern on card or thick paper, cut it out and stick it back together (as long as you don’t stick it back in the exacted same way you cut it out or you will end up with just a flat piece
of paper). Click on the little image of the pattern to make it bigger. It’s not so hard to make, just try your best. I found it helped to use a pair of scissors to cut it out as training a kitten to nibble out the pattern could take years and would be something you would have to really dedicate your life to.

Get the plan here

Game Review: Playground is More Than a Wii Bit Of Fun

As we all know by now, the genius of the Wii isn't in the graphics, it's in the gameplay. Whether it's the rolling a bowling ball or swinging a bat in Wii Sports, swinging the golf club in Tiger Woods Golf, or throwing the football in Madden NFL, the natural gameplay allowed by the Wiimote has brought gaming to another level of fun for even the casual player.

What is also great is how this advance has freed game developers to create new titles based on concepts that previously would not have created much excitement when confined to a standard controller. One good example is Playground, from Electronic Arts (EA).

The setting is a school playground, and the hook is playing classic playground games (mostly) using the Wiimote, to collect marbles and stickers to unlock advanced moves and open new play areas. The classic games include Dodgeball, Tetherball, and Wallball, which all utilize the Wiimote in interesting ways; and the not-so-classic games, such as Kicks (think volleyball + soccer), Slot Car Racing, Paper Racers (flying paper airplanes for distance and points), and Dart Shootout.

The players are cartoon-character kids, each with their own specialties in different areas. You walk your kid around the playground, picking games to play, or taking dares to challenge other kids and win their marbles. The graphics are typical for the Wii - nothing fancy, but nicely animated, and the gameplay is very enjoyable, each game calling for interesting use of the Wiimote. As I said, there's no way they could make these games work on standard platforms: could you ever imagine playing Tetherball with a Sixaxis controller? But with the Wiimote, it's a ton of fun.

All in all, this is another fun title that shows off what is best about the Wii. It's not about high-resolution first-person shooters, where every blade of grass is rendered perfectly; it's about enjoyable gameplay that can be shared with family and friends.

GeekDad: Innovative, family-friendly gameplay with a fun setting and interesting challenges.
GeekSad: Some of the game choices are odd: who ever played slot-cars on a playground?
Price/maker: $40 / EA
Rating: 8/10

Source: Wired

Game Day: Play Drums, MIDI, Guitar with a Wii Controller, Free

All for FREE - Visit the website to get the details here

Bless Nintendo for making the Wii controller: inexpensive, lots of internal sensor data (motion sensing, tilt sensing, buttons), elegant design, and standard Bluetooth support allowing it to be used with Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Now there’s free and open source software for making the most of your Wiimote as a musical instrument. First up: Wiinstrument, a multi-purpose percussion instrument, now available for all three operating systems (a Windows version was recently added).

Plays percussion / drums with gestures
Use an (in-development) internal sampler with WAV files, or trigger other software via MIDI
Use tilt for control changes
Supports tilt, velocity (how much force you use when you move your Wiimote), with acceleration from both the Wiimote and nunchuk
It works with Mac, Windows, and Linux, via a standard OpenGL-based interface, thanks to the awesome 2D OpenGL library Gosu. (Programmers, take note.)
Of course, drums are just the beginning — you could use this to trigger clips, grooves, visualist videos and animations, whatever. And it comes with demos, tutorials, source code, the lot.

Nintendo Says It's Not Limiting Wii Supply

Nintendo denies rumors that the company is limiting the supply of Wii units worldwide.

Nintendo has refuted ongoing speculation that the company is limiting the supply of global Wii units in an effort to fake demand.

"We strongly reject and resent the accusation that we are 'PR-ing' stock shortages," a company official told Max Console on Monday.

"We are doing all we can to ensure that the unprecedented demand for Wii can be met as far as possible in the run up to Christmas."

Nintendo says it is working at maximum capacity in producing 1.8 million Wii units per month.

Since first launching in November of last year, the Wii has seen widespread shortages at retail and regularly commands US$100-200 above its MSRP of $250 when sold online.

Will the Wii be a set-top box?

Will Nintendo try to turn its Wii console into a platform for delivering movies and other content to consumers? The company is experimenting with it.

The company has created a service in Japan that lets consumers get TV listings via the Wii, Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, said at the Dow Jones Consumer Technology Innovations Conference taking place here this week.

Nintendo went forward with the project because a TV Guide Network-like service similar to what Nintendo is offering didn't exist. (TV in Japan is notoriously weird: in the past, PCs and TVs had to be fitted with an array of tuners to get all channels).

There are no plans to bring something like this to the United States at the moment, he said, but Nintendo is always looking around. "There are other channel opportunities," he said. "They may look like games. They may not look like games."

Fils-Aime was quite less vague when it came to talking about why the Wii console and DS handheld are doing well. One reason, of course, is that Nintendo is reaching out to a wider variety of consumers than the other guys.

The company also placed a bet on interactivity when Sony and Microsoft put their efforts behind boosting the graphics on their games.

The next big hardware change for the Wii will be the Wii Fit, an exercise-like board that will let consumers literally put their feet in the game. You stand on it and shift your feet and weight to play the game.

Some examples of possible games include Pilates, aerobics, stretching, and skiing. Fils-Aime himself has suggested a tennis game. Nintendo's Wii has tennis now, but it involves only your arm. With the Fit board, players would shift their feet when swinging a racket.

Along with the Fit, Nintendo will additionally bring more of its classic games to its newer platforms.

Nintendo also spends less on its games than its competitors do.

Developing a game for the DS costs a few hundred thousand dollars. Thus, Nintendo has to sell 100,000 only copies of a game to make money on it.

Wii games cost a little more. Developing a game for Wii might cost $5 million to $10 million, including all of the marketing costs.

By contrast, developing a game for the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 can cost $20 million to $50 million, Fils-Aime asserted. As a result, a developer needs to sell 1.3 million to 1.5 million copies of a game to turn a profit, he argued.

"That's a pretty dramatic difference," Fils-Aime said.

While Sony and Microsoft executives may argue with some of his figures, this is clearly the good ol' days for Fils-Aime and Nintendo. The company has already sold 53 million DS handhelds. "It is on track to be the fastest-selling console, period," he said.

The Wii isn't doing too bad either. Late last year, Nintendo predicted that it would sell 14.5 million consoles in 2007, a high number that has been since raised to 17.5 million, he said. Right now, Nintendo is selling about 1.8 million consoles a month.

Two weeks ago, the company had its biggest sales week ever. Last week, it surpassed that record, he noted. As a result, the console is tough to find for a second holiday season in a row.

"At this point, we are literally trying to catch up with demand," he said. There is no secret plan to store Wiis in a warehouse to spur demand. The company, after all, is trying to reach out to women and to 40- and 50-year-olds who aren't avid gamers.

"They aren't going to sleep outside of a store overnight or visit a retailer five or six times," he said. "It is literally a missed opportunity."

Sudden Strike Next7 engine for Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory

Fireglow Publishing today announced its plans to use Sudden Strike Next7, the engine behind the upcoming Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory title. This engine will allow a variety of products to be created. Some of them will be announced soon.

Sudden Strike Next7 is a generic RTS engine to be used in subsequent games in the Sudden Strike series and other games from Fireglow. Fireglow is also developing thorough documentation in order to license the engine to third parties. The public version of the editor is being prepared and will be released with add-ons.

Here is a link to the trailer (8Mb) showing how microAI works in Sudden Strike Next 7. After the Player gives the units a single command to unload, they can be left on their own to defend, supply and fight without orders from humans and without having to be managed.

More information about Sudden Strike Next7 engine can be found on the official site:
http://www.suddenstrike.com/index.php?uid=obj_view&uid_obj=2286939&uid_cat=262

About Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory:
Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory is the latest instalment in the award-winning, critically acclaimed and hugely popular Sudden Strike series. It features historically authentic models built to scale, fully interactive giant maps and full 3-D state-of-the-art graphics in the popular Sudden Strike style. Only Sudden Strike plays like the 'real thing'. WW2 gaming at its best: on land, at sea and in the air!

Demo for Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory (276 Mb, US South)
Demo for Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory (276 Mb, US North)

Features:

· Fully interactive landscape (all objects can be destroyed, all buildings and pillboxes can be
used as shelter)
· Massive operations on big maps, strategic scale of the maps (front line can be a few
kilometres long)
· Thousands of units fighting in real time
· More than 300 tanks, ships, soldiers, guns and planes with original weapons built to scale
· Great sounds, 5.1 supported, nations speak native languages
· New feature - advanced Micro AI-behaviour allows your troops to act exactly as you plan
· Joint naval and ground operations, air raids, artillery strikes etc.
· State-of-the-art technology to render 3D landscape, realistic lines of sight and fire
· Spectacular visual & lighting effects
· Multiplayer mode: up to 8 players, GameSpy® supported
· Five campaigns playable for American, British, German, Japanese and Soviet sides

The Lifestyle With NBA Ballers: Chosen One

Midway Announces Third Installment of Popular NBA Ballers Franchise Coming to Next Generation Consoles in Spring 2008

Midway Games, a leading interactive entertainment software publisher and developer, today announced NBA Ballers: Chosen One as the next installment in its top selling NBA Ballers franchise. The fast-paced one-on-one and two-on-two action returns as players can select from more than 65 NBA superstars to be the next "Chosen One". NBA Ballers: Chosen One is scheduled to ship for the Xbox 360™ and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system in Spring 2008.

"NBA Ballers: Chosen One will allow players to live the life of an NBA superstar," said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. "Featuring new competitive combo and super-move systems, the NBA Ballers Franchise returns with the amazing realistic graphics for which the franchise is known as players take part in the ultimate challenge to become the next 'Chosen One."

With an optimized next-gen graphics engine, NBA Ballers: Chosen One will continue to set the bar for graphic quality, with the most true-to-life athlete likenesses seen in a sports video game. The franchise's hallmark pick-up-and-play gameplay allows Ballers of all skill levels to master combos and pull off amazing super-moves as they hoop-it-up with the best players in the NBA.

For the latest game information, screenshots and more, please click on to www.nbaballers.com.