Visiting dtp entertainment’s booth (Hall 8.1, Booth B030) at this year’s Gamescom show in Cologne (August 20th – August 23rd) will be a real fest for RPG players from all over the world.

They’ll see the world premiere of Drakensang: The River of Time and can play the game for the very first time. Drakensang: The River of Time is the prequel to the award winning PC RPG Drakensang: The Dark Eye.

RPG players also have the chance to check out the upcoming role playing games Divinity II: Ego Draconis and Venetica (both PC and Xbox 360), as well as the PC horror adventure game Black Mirror II and So Blonde for Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS.

Visitors of the dtp entertainment booth also have the chance to win big prizes: dtp entertainment is giving away a powerful gamer notebook, which is worth 1,500 Euros. This prize is sponsored by MSI.

Make sure to visit dtp entertainment’s booth B030 in hall 8.1 at GamesCom, Cologne, Germany (www.gamescom-cologne.com).

Capcom announce a spectacular line-up for consumers attending this year’s GamesCom in Cologne between 19 th – 23 rd August. The show will be the first time that European gamers can get their hands on future titles Lost Planet 2, Monster Hunter Tri, MotoGP 09/10 and Nintendo Wii brawler Spyborgs as well as the action packed sci-fi adventure Dark Void and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Ultimate All-Stars.



The upcoming title Dark Void blasts into center stage at the Capcom booth. Creating a thrilling new gamezplay dynamic for the third-person shooter experience, gamers will defy gravity with Dark Void’s unique vertical combat system and take to the skies with the explosive jet pack. To bring the real life flying experience to consumers Capcom will be hosting the Dark Void Body Flying Machine. Situated right outside the Consumer Hall, visitors can literally blast off in a vertical orientated airstream at 180km/h. Consumers can then leave the show in one of 200 branded Dark Void taxis that will be driving through Cologne, but not before playing the game at the booth and receiving a limited edition Dark Void gift.



After journeying into the Void, gamers can dive into one of the most beautiful titles ever created for the Nintendo Wii. GamesCom marks the western debut of Monster Hunter Tri, with a demo in English appearing for the first time. Visitors can experience the same game that took the Tokyo Game Show by storm last year where the lines of anxious hunters stretched right around the Capcom booth with a waiting time of over five hours. Living the life of a hunter won’t be a solitary experience, as gamers will be able to hunt co-operatively and form a team of up to four players to survive in a living, breathing eco-system where man co-exists with fantastic beasts.



Adding to the list of debuts, racing game fans won’t want to miss the exclusive worldwide showing of MotoGP 09/10. Taking the series in a refreshing new direction, gamers will get the chance to play a hands on demo and experience for the first time some of the new challenges that reward racing style and skill that requires more than just crossing the line in first place.



Going from the race track to the fighting arena, the upcoming, visually stunning Nintendo Wii title Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars will have fighting game fans’ fingers twitching. Players can choose from the combined roster of colorful characters to create the ultimate tag-team with the likes of Street Fighter favourites Ryu and Chun-Li and classic Tatsunoko stars Ken the Eagle (Gatchaman) and Casshan. Each character brings a unique arsenal of moves, including spectacular hyper-combos that literally take over the screen with devastating results.




European gamers will be able to experience the highly anticipated extensive multiplayer action of Lost Planet 2 as the title makes its worldwide debut on the PLAYSTATION 3. This impressive next installment sees a return to the Lost Planet but offers gamers a series of totally new epic challenges with battles erupting on a planetary scale. Players will need to journey across a range of harsh environments and defeat giant Akrid in explosive four player co-operative play where skill and team work will be tested like never before in an epic fight for survival.



Also available to European gamers for the first time is Spyborgs, the upcoming beat-em-up brawler coming exclusively to the Nintendo Wii. Designed around the two-player co-operative experience, gamers will need to slash and pummel their way through hordes of mechanized enemies and wickedly challenging boss battles.



To complete the line-up Capcom has teamed up with Intel to bring visitors to GamesCom the fear they’ll never forget. PC gamers can be among the first to experience the survival horrors of the critically acclaimed Resident Evil 5 for PC. Intel will be showing the game which takes full advantage of the intelligent multi-core technology in the Intel Core i7 processors on a series of high spec PC’s in their dedicated RE5 booth situated in Hall 9.1, 61A.



Capcom’s Booth is situated in Hall 6.1, corridor A, No 31.

Pogo players can participate in the first ever worldwide online qualifier for the MONOPOLY World Championships where one lucky Pogo player will earn a seat to compete against the MONOPOLY elite at the MONOPOLY World Championships 2009 in Las Vegas in October.

Starting August11th, budding hopefuls are invited to register for free with Pogo on any one of its four sites around the world to play as many games as possible of MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition. Every time a player wins a game, they will be awarded one entry into the draw for the online semi-finals. The more games they win, the more entries into the draw, the more chances of reaching the semi-finals.

Thirty two winners (worldwide) will be picked at random and invited to participate in the semi-final, a moderated online skill-based tournament on Pogo. The ultimate winner of the online tournament will get a seat to compete at the MONOPOLY World Championship in Las Vegas**.

Play MONOPOLY between 11th August and 0800GMT on 19th August to be eligible for the prize drawing.

For complete official rules please click on the rules link at:

UK - http://uk.pogo.com/hotdeploy/uk/promotions/marketing/monopoly-vegas/

Play MONOPOLY now and you could be a WORLD CHAMPION!

Scratch Ultimate DJ Video Game! has new developers: Commotion Interactive, the music and party game division of Bedlam Games. That's great news, as we can get back on track for early 2010 release on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Nothing has changed as far as development or game direction goes. Fred Galpern, Gaming product manager at Numark said.

"The game itself will remain true to what has been released in the press so far," Galpern says. "The core gameplay has received some well deserved praise through focus tests and the sweet party we threw at E3. With so much positive feedback, we’re not planning to change the core features."

"The Commotion team is comprised of developers that come from a wide variety of respected studios including Rockstar, Ubisoft and EA," Galpern tells us. "While this is Commotion’s first music game, the combination of their game development background and true appreciation of hip-hop makes them the perfect team."


And as far as the competition, Activision's DJ Hero, goes, they don't sound worried at all: "We are focusing launching our own game and making it the best in the genre."

Snax Lite (Cooking Arcade Game) will be available for the Xbox Live Indie Games service. The game is priced at 80 microsoft points. The story behind Snax is that you're the chef at your barbecue and all your friends are dying just to get a piece of the grill action! Cook up and serve your guests in a limited time frame. It's a race against the clock and the grill!

Snax Lite (Cooking Arcade Game) features 6 Challenging levels of fast game play action and a Massive 80 Minute Marathon Mode. Do you have what it takes to become the Master Chef?

Formed in 2007, Phased Games has sought out to create games that are simple yet fun. We are an independent studio based in Toronto, Ontario. Our love for games and the development of them has led to our first major release: Snax Lite.

Here at Phased Games we believe that innovation, dedication, originality and enjoyment are at the heart of amazing games. That is why created Snax in the first place. We will continue developing more titles that follow the same principles.

We specialize in the development of games that are easy to play, easy to learn, and most importantly fun! We hope to captivate gamers of all ages from various backgrounds to enjoy the games we have to offer! We'd like to thank all of you for your current and future support!

Allods Online is the upcoming free-to-play AAA MMORPG developed by Astrum Nival and published by Gala Networks Europe across Europe. It will be available as a free-to-play download from the gPotato.eu portal this Autumn.

Allods Online gives players twenty eight playable classes to choose from. These are derived from the game’s six races and eight archetypes. Each of these classes has its own class-specific special move, as well as their own armour set.

This will allow players to develop their own range of powers, appearance and gameplay strategy. The gPotato team is proud to unveil an overview of the melee and ranged fighters in Allods Online. These feature classes from both the League and Empire, and cover the Warrior, Scout and Templar archetypes.

Every party that wants to survive an adventure in the dangerous world of Allods Online will need a heavily armoured fighter with them. Taking the hits and protecting their companions are the Warrior archetype. This archetype has combat advantages which put them squarely in the front line of battles. The Kanians have their ‘Champions’, the Gibberlings have ‘Brawlers’ that use their agility to hold their own in a fight, the Xadaganian ‘Vanquisher’ has higher magic resistance than his peers, while the Orc ‘Brute’ is a strong, tough fighter.

Working alongside these walking tanks are other important fighters: Templars. The Templar archetype has special self-shield that will absorb some of the damage they receive. Players will be able to choose from the Kanian ‘Knight’ and Elven ‘Paladin’ that can inflict heavy damage on their opponents. Alternatively, they can choose a Xadaganian ‘Commissar’ who can lower damages on his entire party with his battle cry, or an Orc ‘Reaver’, destroying everything in its path.

Finally, the last of the non-casting archetypes is the light-footed and stealthy Scout. The Scout archetype can enchant their arrows with various types of magic. Kanian ‘Stalkers’ can shoot a blinding arrow. Gibberling ‘Tricksters’ are specialist in rooting their enemies with their net. Xadaganian ‘Saboteurs’ are specialists with anything to do with explosives, and a penchant for laying mines, while Orc ‘Headhunters’ are fierce trackers that few of their targets are able evade and survive.

Depending on the Archetype chosen, each class has its own special abilities, look, style and tactics. This gives players plenty of choice depending on whether they want to side with the league or the Empire. Further information on the casting classes will be released in the not too distant future, but for the latest news on Allods Online, check out the official European website at http://allods.gpotato.eu.

Koch Media, a leading distributor of entertainment software, today announces the release of a brand new gardening guide endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society. Developed and Published by Mindscape, Gardening Guide – How To Get Green Fingers, will be available on Nintendo DS from 14th August 2009.

More of a guide than a game, Gardening Guide – How To Get Green Fingers will appeal to keen gardeners and novices as they embark on creating their perfect virtual garden. The guide can be used in two ways – as a tool for planning what to do with a real life garden – and also for anyone wanting to grow a garden without the need for outdoor space.

Gardening Guide – How To Get Green Fingers features an encyclopaedia of over 400 popular and commonly grown plants selected for inclusion by horticultural experts. Users can look-up different varieties and get handy tips on how and where the different plants can be grown.

Paul, the virtual gardener, will help the player throughout the game - from the first time they launch the game and enter the tutorial – to every time the user turns on the guide and Paul welcomes them with new advice about a plant or a gardening quiz.

The guide includes a calendar which will remind the user of tasks they need to complete in order to make the most of their garden, and will give of update on seasonal changes to take in to account. The calendar can also be manually changed should they use to add their own tasks and reminders.

Achille Coenegracht, International Marketing Director from Mindscape comments: "We are very proud of this unique gardening guide for the Nintendo DS, which has been made in association with the absolute gardening authority in the UK: the Royal Horticultural Society. For the first time ever, gardening lovers can now enjoy a unique moment of green entertainment anywhere and anytime on their Nintendo DS."

Guy Barter, from the Royal Horticultural Society, commented, “This is a funky and fun guide to gardening basics, just right for beginner and younger gardeners, and it will amuse all gardeners. It is like having a gardening friend in your pocket offering help and tips on how to care for your plants and reminding you what you should be doing at different times of year.’

Kotaku asked the question on Microsoft GoD pricing...

Microsoft's Games on Demand pricing isn't exactly consistent across this orbiting ball of dirt we all call home. What costs $20 in one place costs $40 (or sometimes more) in another. So we asked Microsoft, why the discrepancy?

Microsoft HQ said the pricing decisions outside the US were the responsibility of that particular territory. So, for example, if Mass Effect is priced at 6000 Microsoft Points in Australia (as opposed to only 1600 MSP in the US), then that's Xbox Australia's decision. That's fine. So we asked Xbox Australia. Their response?

No one retailer has the lowest pricing for every product, and our program is about giving people 24 x 7 convenience and selection when shopping for Xbox 360 games.

We're incredibly excited about what Games on Demand means for digital distribution, and will continue to evaluate and evolve the service to meet market and consumer demands.

After it was revealed at E3 this year, Project Natal has created a buzz around the globe. Now CNET have managed to visit Microsoft and get their hands on a copy to demo the playing of racing game - Burnout Paradise. Watch this video and see what you think...



Watch my Gameboyuk video...

Just hours prior to the highly anticipated launch of Madden NFL 10, Electronic Arts and the 21st edition of the franchise will be woven into ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” programming on August 13, which will feature a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals at 8 p.m. ET. The preseason matchup game features the teams of Madden NFL 10 cover athletes Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu in their first meeting since Super Bowl XLIII.



“The launch of Madden NFL is an event that our fans look forward to throughout the year,” said Nathan Stewart, marketing director for EA SPORTS. “With our ever-expanding audience, we wanted a launch for Madden NFL 10 that would not only show the depth of our connection with NFL football, but also reach our fans in all corners of the country. It’s going to be a full week of excitement the likes of which only Madden NFL can create, culminating when the game goes on sale at midnight on August 14.”

Madden NFL 10 on ESPN “Monday Night Football”

On August 13, EA SPORTS Madden NFL 10 will take a prominent position across ESPN media, including extensions on-air, online, on mobile and in social media applications. The date was chosen not only because it is one day before Madden NFL 10 hits stores, but because it coincides with the return of “Monday Night Football” to ESPN. EA SPORTS Madden NFL 10 will tie into the special Thursday night pre-season kick off of ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” with Madden NFL 10 footage, advertising spots and other Madden NFL 10 content throughout the broadcast.

Additionally, Madden NFL 10 custom billboards will be featured across ESPN programming throughout the day, including “SportsCenter” and “NFL Countdown.” Viewers will also see Madden NFL 10 mini-mercials throughout the morning on “SportsCenter” telecasts. Madden NFL 10 advertising will be featured prominently on the ESPN.com homepage with a unique eight-second interstitial execution.

As part of the integration, EA SPORTS Madden NFL 10 will also be featured in ESPN Mobile including video, messaging, mobile web and ESPN's popular ScoreCenter iPhone app.

Madden NFL 10 Pigskin Pro-Am

In the week leading up to the launch of Madden NFL 10, television networks including ESPN2, NFL Network and VH1 will air the Madden NFL 10 Pigskin Pro-Am Game, a match-up pitting two teams mixed with NFL legends and Hollywood celebrities in a high-scoring, fun-filled flag football game. Competing from Malibu, California, the two teams are led by Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Joe Montana and John Elway, and feature an all-star roster including NFL legends Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, and Deion Sanders and celebrities Jeremy Piven, Maria Menounos, Kevin Dillon and Allison Sweeney. Broadcasts of the game will appear on the following networks during the week of the Madden NFL 10 launch (all shown in eastern time):

August 13 - ESPN 2 - 11 p.m. to Midnight
August 15 - VH1 - 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
August 17 - NFL Network - 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.

For the third year running, Spike TV will support the launch with “GTTV PRESENTS MADDEN NFL 10 KICKOFF,” premiering Wednesday, August 12 at Midnight. Host Geoff Keighley meets up with players and celebrities at the Pigskin Pro-Am event, heads behind the scenes at EA Tiburon to meet the game makers, and learns which NFL stars should be in a gamers’ fantasy draft.

Madden NFL 10 in Stores on August 14

Following the “Monday Night Football” broadcast integration featuring Madden NFL 10, select retail stores throughout the country will be ready for Madden NFL 10 fans to pick up their copies of the new game when sales begin at 12:01 a.m. on August 14, 2009.

Madden NFL 10 launch partner Walmart will also be offering special assistance to Madden NFL players throughout the country. Walmart is offering customers “turf talk” tips from celebrities and NFL greats on www.Walmart.com/madden. In stores, the retailer will have special offers to help gamers get ready for the days ahead, including a limited edition Gillette Fusion NFL team logo razor with a code to download a Mini Madden NFL 10 Strategy Guide and $8 rose bouquets to help ease the burden on their potentially neglected partners – all located near shelves where Madden NFL 10 is sold.

For more information about the Madden NFL 10 launch events, broadcasts, and promotions, and to view the Madden NFL 10 Pigskin Pro-Am trailer, visit www.maddennfl.easports.com/launch.

Madden NFL 10 is developed in Orlando, Florida by the award-winning EA Tiburon studio. EA SPORTS™ is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA Football, and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR.



Madden NFL 10 will be available for the Xbox 360 video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation 2 and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment systems, Nintendo Wii, PSP (PlayStationPortable) handheld entertainment system and is rated E by the ESRB. Madden NFL 10 will also be available for feature phones this month, and on the App Store in September.

Section 8 is a first person shooter set in a futuristic universe. The players wear armor that covers their entire bodies and features shielding technology which is able to absorb enemy damage.

Players will be able to “burn-in” by dropping onto the battlefield from orbital dropships hovering at 15,000 feet from the surface, thus eliminating fixed spawn points.



“Burning-in” also creates the opportunity for the player to choose where they drop on the map, making the game unpredictable. This process is an interactive experience as players can be shot down upon entry by players and anti-aircraft turrets alike, though these situations can be avoided or mitigated by using the “air-brake” feature which allows the player to make mid-air adjustments.

Section 8 will feature a single-player campaign mode that allows the character to play as a member of the 8th Armored Infantry named Alex Corde. Previews indicate that the single-player campaign will be more objective-based and deals with the motivation behind the ARM of Orion and Alex Corde.

Madden 10 NFL Road to the Super Bowl Nintendo Wii compare screenshots from last year's game to the this year's offering...

Sid Meier’s classic empire building Civilization Revolution has made its way to the Apple App Store for mobile gamers to engage in some portable strategy plotting.

Regarded as one of the best strategy games around the portable version will let warmongers choose from 16 civilizations from which to build their empire.

As with the console versions users will be able to call upon a wealth of weapons and technologies to build the most powerful army imaginable using the iPod Touch and iPhone’s touchscreen controls to drag units, zoom in and scroll effortlessly through battle-filled maps.

Civilization Revolution is available now from the App Store.

Check out my other videos here on YouTube...

Burda:ic, a leading publisher of online games worldwide, today announced an epic update to the guardian system in sports MMORPG Fantasy Tennis Season 2. Players have always been able to hit the courts with up to four friends and take on some exciting bosses, but ‘Guardian Battle 2.0’ heats things up with the addition of a legendary boss guardian… Hellblood.

Players who wish to test their rackets against this fiery opponent must first defeat the four toughest guardians in the game, including the intimidating protector of Atlantis. Succeed within the time limit on each map, and you’ll earn the right to challenge Hellblood. Defeat him in under five minutes to reap the ultimate reward, pieces of the rare and powerful Hellblood Costume set!

Fantasy Tennis players around the world should also keep their eyes peeled for exciting guardian-related news in the coming months, because this update is just a taste of the special skills and epic Guardian battles still to come.

For more information about Guardian Battle 2.0, please visit http://ft.alaplaya.net.

On Thursday 13th August 505 Games, in collaboration with 1C Company, will give fans eagerly awaiting the 4th September release of IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds Of Prey the chance to watch the game being demoed live by members of the team through popular social networking site Twitter via UStream.

The demo session will be hosted by Mark Allen, European Communications Manager for 505 Games, who will guide viewers through a selection of some of the fifty missions available in the game that take place in locations as diverse as Battle of Britain, Stalingrad and the Battle of the Bulge. An exclusive UStream channel (http://www.ustream.tv) has been created to broadcast the demo to attendees who will be able to engage in live chat with other viewers throughout.

A Q&A session will also follow the demonstration to give fans the chance to pose questions to the developers on the inner workings of the title. For anyone who misses the event as it happens, all chat posts, questions and answers will include the hashtag #IL2LiveDemo for easy reference. The demo session will go live from 12:30 on Thursday 13th August. For further updates and details on how to view the live stream please refer to http://twitter.com/IL2BirdsOfPrey

About IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds Of Prey

Based around large-scale aerial combat over the ground-based military operations of World War II, variety is at the heart of the action in IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey. Players participate in the most famous confrontations of the era piloting fighters, battle planes or heavy bombers across a range of missions. There are 6 theatres of war in which to engage – The Battle of Britain, Stalingrad, Berlin, Sicily, the Battle of the Bulge and Korsun – representing the main airborne battles of World War II in Europe.

As well as taking environmental and landscape visuals to new heights by incorporating satellite technology, IL-2 also boasts a tangible damage effects engine. Players will see real-time damage to the aircraft such as holes in the wings and trail lines during dogfights.

IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey will be published by 505 Games in collaboration with 1C Company on 4th September for Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo DS and PSP.

Edinburgh Interactive at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange on 13th & 14th August 2009. Representing over 200 companies within the Ontario interactive digital content industry, IO will be joined by Capybara Games, who are set to showcase two soon-to-be-released titles.

As a non-profit trade association committed to the growth of Ontario’s Digital Media/Video Game industry, IO represents content producers and distributors, as well as stakeholders from a range of industry sectors including e-Learning, games, mobile, television, online, social media, marketing and academia. The Ontario International Marketing Centre, based in London, UK, facilitates trade and investment between the UK and Ontario.

Joining IO at Edinburgh Interactive this year will be IO member Capybara Games. Starting out as an award-winning mobile games developer, Capybara Games have since successfully branched out into the development of iPhone, Nintendo DS and downloadable console games. Capybara Games is an independent games studio from Canada’s fastest growing hub of video game production.

Capybara Games will be showcasing two soon-to-be-released titles at Edinburgh Interactive this year; Critter Crunch and Ubisoft’s Might & Magic Clash of Heroes.
Critter Crunch is set in a magical place filled with cute, colourful critters frolicking in the sun, smelling the flowers and eating each other! Winner of the 2008 IGF Mobile Best Games & Achievement in Audio Awards and IGN Wireless 2007 Best Puzzle Games & Biggest Surprise Game Awards, Critter Crunch is a PlayStation® Network arcade-puzzler, and will be released later this year.

Set in the Might and Magic universe, Might & Magic Clash of Heroes is the first ever installment developed for the Nintendo DS™ incorporating role-playing elements, adventure and an innovative and dynamic combat system based on puzzle mechanics. Developed by Capybara Games and published by Ubisoft, Might & Magic Clash of Heroes will be available to play at Edinburgh Interactive this year and will be on sale this summer.

Nathan Vella, Co-Founder & President of Capybara Games, said: "Capy is really excited to be attending EIF – it’s a great opportunity for small independent studio like us to make new connections, and to promote our titles internationally.”

IO will also be looking to promote an upcoming event titled Game:ON Finance 2009. Game:ON: Finance is an international forum for the interactive games industry that connects game developers, innovators, investors and industry leaders. Over the course of two-days in downtown Toronto, presentations, case-studies and panel sessions will provide insight on the diverse prospects for growth within the dynamic economic, creative and technological landscape of games. Game:ON Finance will be taking place on October 27 and 28. www.gameonfinance.com.

Ian Kelso, CEO & President of Interactive Ontario, said: “Interactive Ontario is proud to partner with the Edinburgh Interactive Festival this year. We certainly see a tremendous potential for synergies between Ontario and UK video games companies. And of course we are also very keen to invite more European companies to participate in this year’s edition of GameON: Finance which is growing quickly in international stature.”

Key companies who attended the 2008 conference included:

Activision
AOL
Arts & Humanities Research Council
Associated Press Television News
BAFTA
BBC
BBC Scotland
BERR
CCP Games
Channel 4
Climax Studios
Codemasters
Codeworks
Cohort Studios
Creative Assembly
Edinburgh University
Elysium Gaming Ltd
Endemol
Eurogamer
Frontier Developments
Future Publishing
Gamasutra
Gamestation


Geomerics
Handheld Learning
Hyper Entertainment
Insurgent Studios
Intent Media
Napier University
NCSoft
NESTA
Nintendo
Nokia
Realtime Worlds
Sony Computer Entertainment
Entertainment
Scottish Development International
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Screen
SEGA Europe
Skillset
University of Abertay
University of West Scotland
University of Ulster
Virgin Play S.

The WW2 - Time of Wrath Giveaway Contest! Just by answering a few trivia questions you could win a free full copy WW2: Time of Wrath. The rules are simple:

1. Answer the trivia questions below (note that you will need to play the free demo in order to answer one of the questions).
2. Send your answers to matrix-contest@wastelands-interactive.com.
3. Ten randomly selected entrants that answered all the questions correctly will win a free copy of WW2: Time of Wrath!

Here are the trivia questions:

1. When did France and the UK join World War 2?
2. What is the motto of Matrix Games, the publisher of WW2: Time of Wrath?
3. Where is Wastelands Interactive, the developer of WW2: Time of Wrath, from?
4. What is the name of unit in hex 173,95 at the very beginning of 1939 campaign (you should try the WW2: Time of Wrath demo to find this out)?

David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said “Free games and a few fun trivia questions? Sounds like a total victory for gamers! Easy to learn, with solid gameplay, deep scenarios, and a vibrant community, WW2: Time of Wrath is a bargain at any price – but the chance to win the game for free is just too good to pass up!”

From the front lines in France and Russia to the deserts of North Africa and the airfields and convoys of Britain, the campaigns of World War II are yours to command in WW2: Time of Wrath! This turn-based grand strategy title, the highly improved and expanded sequel to WW2: Road to Victory, puts the player in charge of the political, economic and military decisions of one or more Axis or Allied nations, including minor nations. A diplomacy system based on political points allows you to sway possible allies to your side. An upgraded and expanded naval combat system includes fleet engagements, combat patrols, massive aircraft carriers, elusive raiders and U-Boats as well as a convoy system.

Concentrate precious industrial resources on building, training and upgrading a wide variety of combat units from airborne soldiers and armored divisions up to nuclear weapons! Historical leaders enhance the performance of your armies and hundreds of historical events like the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Lend-Lease and more give you choices that can change the course of history. WW2: Time of Wrath is fought across turns that vary in length by season and 25 km hexes with divisions and corps, giving the player a broad strategic picture of the war while still leaving enough room for operational decisions.

Get more information on WW2: Time of Wrath from its official product page.

World of Battles is a free, massively multiplayer real-time strategy game. Set In a fantasy medieval universe, nine races fight a terrible war for world domination. Choose your side, recruit, train and equip units in order to create a powerful army able to face in intense battles opposing armies created by other players. Take part in huge battles in order to establish yourself as a warlord and progress in the online World of Battles' ranking system. Players are free to connect for quick play and to participate in one of the many official tournaments of World of Battles.

In the game, you will discover a unique system for customizing your units and soldiers. You'll be able to personalize the appearance of each one of your soldiers with a very high level of detail. Before launching into your first battles, you'll need to prepare your troops, because if you don't, your army will surely take a beating.

Once you're ready to fight, gamezplay switches to real time strategy mode. Take command of your armies and show everyone who's the greatest warlord in the war-torn battlefields of World of Battles. You can also join friends to confront other clans in titanic guild wars in which tactics and teamwork will be essential to become the most powerful army of all.

Free, accessible to all and with higher technical ambitions than other current free internet games, World of Battles allows everyone to share an intense and unique online gaming experience.

Platinum Hits Triple Pack for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. This affordable collection of three of Capcom’s greatest games for the Xbox 360 will be available for a suggested retail price of $39.99 beginning September 8, 2009.

The Platinum Hits Triple Pack combines Dead Rising, Lost Planet : Extreme Condition - Colonies Edition, & Devil May Cry 4 all in one box. Each of these games has been awarded Platinum Hits “Best Seller” status and together have sold over 3 million units in North America alone. Any gamer who had the bad luck of missing these legendary titles, will now have a chance to redeem themselves for a great low price.

Dead Rising is an action horror game that follows the harrowing tale of Frank West, an overly zealous freelance photojournalist in pursuit of the story of a lifetime. What he finds is a small suburban town completely overrun by zombies. He seeks refuge in the local shopping mall, but soon learns it is far from the safe haven he had thought. Dead Rising takes place over 72 hours, during which Frank must unravel the mystery behind the catastrophe and survive the dangerous swarm of enemies that lie in wait. The unprecedented level of freedom provides players with a vast array of gameplay possibilities to do anything and everything they've wanted to do in a mall. Hundreds of unique objects can be used as weapons to fend off the hordes of zombies - everything from golf clubs and baseball bats to cash registers and stuffed animals.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition is a sci-fi third-person action shooter that offers an amazing single player experience offline and a heart-pounding multi-player experience online. The adventure takes place on the frozen alien planet E.D.N. III. To survive, gamers will battle snow pirates, gigantic indigenous creatures known as Akrid and harvest the precious thermal energy found inside them. To do this they’ll utilize hi-tech weaponry and Vital Suits (VS ) – gigantic mechs used to traverse the treacherous frozen planet they’re on. In Lost Planet: Extreme Condition - Colonies Edition, players get the same compelling single player experience found in the original game, with the addition of three new modes. In Score Attack, all enemies have points assigned to them and the score awarded will change depending on how they are defeated, with skilled marksmen being rewarded. For those who thrive on a challenge, Trial Battle Mode delivers, pitting players against all of the game’s bosses, one after another. Players of both Score Attack and Trial Battle modes will be able to compare their skills and compete for bragging rights via the online ranking system. Finally things get a little crazy with Off Limit Mode which lets players take on Lost Planet’s harsh environments and enemies with over-the-top, super-charged weapons and a powered-up grappling hook. Lost Planet: Extreme Condition - Colonies Edition was one of the first games to allow cross-platform connectivity from Xbox LIVE to Games for Windows – LIVE, allowing console and Windows-based PC users to battle it out on the same online battlefield.

Devil May Cry 4 immerses gamers in a gothic supernatural world, where a new protagonist, Nero, clashes with Dante, the featured character of the previous Devil May Cry games. As Nero, players will unleash incredible attacks and non-stop combos using a unique new gamezplay mechanic, his powerful “Devil Bringer” arm. Fans of Dante won’t be disappointed as he too will be playable during the course of the game. With the advanced graphics of the current game systems, high definition visuals and intricate detail come to life as players explore new and exotic locales. Dynamic action and undeniable style combine with unprecedented fighting options and a gripping story to produce the incomparable experience that only a Devil May Cry game can deliver.

Responding to consumer feedback from more than 275 million online games played, FIFA 10 will deliver a new standard for authenticity with gameplay refinements and innovations that will make it the most complete and intelligent simulation of football.

On the pitch, critical gameplay fundamentals have been enhanced to ensure that FIFA 10 mirrors real-world football, providing more sophisticated ball control, and physical interaction between players. In addition, players now move, behave and position themselves more realistically. On attack, players analyze space more effectively, curve their runs in an attempt to stay onside, create passing lanes naturally, and drive for more variety in attacking options. On defense, new concepts like position priority enable defenders to multitask so dangerous spaces left open by teammates out of position are covered. Plus, slide tackle targeting, press marking, and better-urgency clearance logic provide new options that make defending a tactical skill in FIFA 10. In goal, a myriad of improvements and refinements to goalkeeper intelligence result in a more responsive and powerful rushing system and ultra-realistic saves.

“We have benefited from 275 million games played online to refine FIFA 10 in a way that matters most to our fans,” said Andrew Wilson, Vice President & Executive Producer for the FIFA franchise. “We’ve listened and responded to their feedback to improve player control, responsiveness and intelligence and create what we believe is the world’s most authentic football videogame.”

JoWooD Productions and DreamCatcher Games are pleased to announce that top model Anja Rubik will be featured in their upcoming Wii title Yoga (http://anjarubik.com). A very enthusiastic yoga practitioner, Anja will not only grace the cover, but also accompanies players during numerous relaxing Yoga exercises, providing player motivation throughout the game. Anja Rubik is considered one of the upcoming stars of the model scene and is ranked among the top 15 international supermodels.

“We’ve invested a lot in creating a fun and authentic Yoga title for Wii suitable for everyone. Regardless of your age or gender, anyone who is interested in learning more about this ancient Indian philosophy will love this game.” says Markus Reutner, Marketing manager JoWooD Productions. “Anja Rubik embodies the spirit of Yoga and thus is the perfect guide to increase motivation and promote the practice of this peaceful fitness regime.”

Yoga for the Wii system offers an entirely new fitness and lifestyle experience. It enriches your living room with this ancient art and you can strengthen your body, mind and spirit while training at home. Thanks to the combination of state of the art graphics and the Wii Balance Board™ accessory, this game leads to a brand new fitness-gaming experience.

About Yoga for the Wii system:

Anja Rubik and a 3D animated Yoga guru guide you through the most important parts of the game and offer useful information on both the individual exercises and the philosophical basis behind yoga. Yoga encourages the player to take steps to improve his or her own health and to restore and maintain their own state of well-being. The game supports a wide range of body positions, and the Balance Board provides the player with immediate feedback. The yoga guru guides you through poses in a gentle introduction into this fascinating world.

It's simple for you to develop your own, customised yoga exercise plan and monitor your progress!

Yoga is designed to stand out from the considerable range of “fitness games“ out there and shows a new, modern way to provide more body awareness and relaxation.

Does your work-out really need to be faster, most exhausting and harder? Slow your day down, allow your body and mind to relax – with Yoga for the Wii system.

Anja Rubik & Yoga

Anja Rubik is an ambitious yoga fan and practices this ancient philosophy to provide balance in her stressful everyday life as a model. She is convinced that it is the best way to control thought and breathing processes, and is enthusiastic about the new opportunity to practice yoga in the comfort of your own home while receiving feedback from a yoga guru. We're proud to have found Anja as the perfect advocate for our Wii game Yoga.

Yoga provides a completely new experience in the realm of fitness and lifestyle! JoWooD offers a tried and tested way of training the body and mind in the form of Yoga, all in the comfort of your living room! The combination of excellent graphics and the use of the Wii Balance Board offers a gaming experience never before seen!

Yoga encourages the Wii player to relax after a hard day!

Yoga supports the Wii Balance Board!

Time to put your game face on! Hudson Entertainment, the North and South American publishing arm of Hudson Soft, will release Deca Sports DS in Spring 2010. Following the landmark success of the original Deca Sports and the upcoming release of the sequel Deca Sports 2, Deca Sports DS is an all-new sports compilation title with ten new games that can now be played on the go! Players will also be able to battle up to six friends in exciting multi-sports competition.

“With the original Deca Sports title shipping two million copies worldwide, we felt strongly that the franchise would translate to Nintendo DS.” said Mike Pepe, director of marketing at Hudson Entertainment. “With ten completely new sports and game sharing, Deca Sports DS is going to give gamers and sports enthusiasts everywhere the same great experience they have come to know and love on Wii.”

Like the other Deca Sports titles, Deca Sports DS will feature an all-new diverse selection of sports including golf, ping pong, wall climbing, bobsled and rugby, as well as quirky and exotic sports such as arm wrestling, clay shooting, cheerleading, sky diving and sepak takraw. The new game will continue the original game’s credo of “the Everybody Sports Game.” In addition to the new sports and multiplayer functionality, gamers will also be able to design their own teams by customizing uniforms, changing athlete abilities and even altering the physical characteristics of the athletes themselves.

For more information on Deca Sports and other titles, please visit Hudson Entertainment at www.hudsonent.com.

Multiple Grammy Award winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and legendary singer-songwriter Johnny Cash will be introduced to an all new audience this autumn as he makes his video game debut as a playable character in the highly anticipated Guitar Hero 5. Cash’s virtual image will live on as Guitar Hero players can rock out on any instrument controller to “Ring Of Fire,” and even unlock the ability to strum and sing along as the “Man in Black” himself in the all-new Electric Honky Tonk Bar venue. Cash joins the ever-growing list of playable in-game artists announced for Guitar Hero 5.

This September, living room legends will rock any way they want in Guitar Hero 5. The entire set list is at players’ finger tips from the start, featuring genre-defining hits from more than 80 of the biggest rock artists and bands of all time, including The Rolling Stones, The White Stripes, Kings of Leon, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Vampire Weekend, plus more than 25 artists from a variety of music genres that will be making their music video game debut.

Players take complete control as Guitar Hero 5 allows gamers to personalise and customise how they experience music by being able to play with any in-game instrument combination - multiple vocalists, guitarists, bassists and drummers, in any game mode. With the game’s all-new Party Play Mode, getting the band back together has never been easier. Players can now jump in or drop out of gameplay seamlessly, without interrupting their jam session.

Elevating the Guitar Hero series to new heights with unmatched social gamezplay, an enhanced style, new in-game artists and more rock legends, Guitar Hero 5 features new surprises and challenges that will fire-up long-time fret board fanatics and create a new generation of addicts.

Scheduled to hit store shelves in September, Guitar Hero 5 will be released for the Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2. For more information about Guitar Hero 5, please visit gh5.guitarhero.com.

The complete soundtrack for Brütal Legend, the face-melting action video game from Tim Schafer starring Jack Black as the roadie Eddie Riggs. Boasting an impressive list of over 100 fist-pumping tracks sure to make your blood boil, Brütal Legend puts metal’s most celebrated rock Gods in the forefront of this unique 3rd person action experience. With a total of 75 killer bands showcased, including legends such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Megadeth and Motörhead, Brütal Legend will unleash the inner headbanger in every gamer on October 13th in North America and on October 16th in Europe.



Brütal Legend is an epic action game from visionary developer Tim Schafer. Jack Black stars as Eddie Riggs, a legendary roadie summoned to a world of Heavy Metal where mountains are made of amplifiers, killer spiders spin guitar strings and Rock Legends roam the landscape. As Eddie, crush skulls with a battle axe, ravage the road in a super-charged Hot Rod and unleash the power of Rock to reign down fire from the sky – all to save humanity and become a Brütal Legend.

”This soundtrack took years to put together as we wanted to represent every genre of Metal, and also have the perfect music for every epic moment in the game,” said Tim Schafer, President of Double Fine Productions. “It’s designed to be loved by Metal fans, and for those who are not, it will either convert them or make their heads explode… or both.”

“It would be a grave disservice to merely use the term ‘Ultimate Heavy Metal Soundtrack’ here,” said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Music Marketing for Electronics Arts. “Instead, what we’ve unleashed is without question the most mind-blasting, face-melting, skull-shattering alliance of Classic Metal, Thrash Metal, New Wave, British Metal, Black Metal, Power Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal, Hair Metal, Goth Metal and Industrial Metal ever decreed by The Gods Of Metal. Its very existence will condemn your soul to eternal brütal damnation. Yes, it’s that good!”

See below for the entire list of tracks featured in the Brütal Legend soundtrack.
ARTIST SONG
3 Inches of Blood Deadly Sinners
3 Inches of Blood Destroy The Orcs
Accept Fast As A Shark
Angel Witch Angel Witch
Anthrax Metal Thrashing Mad
Anvil March of the Crabs
Anvil Tag Team
Apostasy Sulphur Injection
Bishop of Hexen A Serpentine Grave
Bishop of Hexen The Somber Grounds of Truth
Black Sabbath Children of the Grave
Black Sabbath Symptom of the Universe
Black Sabbath Never Say Die
Brocas Helm Cry of the Banshee
Brocas Helm Drink the Blood of the Priest
Budgie Breadfan
Budgie Zoom Club
Candlemass Witches
Carcass No Love Lost
Cloven Hoof Nightstalker
Children of Bodom Angels Don’t Kill
Coroner Skeleton on your Shoulder
Cradle of Filth Her Ghost in the Fog
Crimson Glory Queen of the Masquerade
Dark Fortress Insomnia
Dark Tranquility Cathode Ray Sunshine
Deathstars Blitzkrieg
Def Leppard Rock of Ages
Dethklok Mermaider
Diamond Head Am I Evil?
Dimmu Borgir Progenies of the Great Apocalypse
Dokken Mr. Scary
Dragonforce Through the Fire and Flames
Emperor Thus Spake The Nightspirit
Enslaved Frost
Enslaved Loke
Firehouse Overnight Sensation
Girlschool Bomber
Iced Earth When the Night Falls
Iced Earth Pure Evil
In Flames Goliaths Disarm Their Davids
Judas Priest Battle Hymn
Judas Priest The Hellion/Electric Eye
Judas Priest Leather Rebel
Judas Priest One Shot At Glory
Judas Priest Painkiller

Kabbage Boy


Girlfriend

KMFDM


Free Your Hate
KMFDM Rip The System
King Diamond Cremation
King Diamond Welcome Home
Kiss God of Thunder
Lita Ford Betrayal
Marilyn Manson Beautiful People
Manowar Die For Metal
Manowar The Dawn Of Battle
Mastodon Crack the Skye
Mastodon Oblivion Instrumental

Megadeth
High Speed Dirt

Megadeth
Tornado of Souls
Metal Church Metal Church
Michael Schenker Group Assault Attack
Ministry Stigmata
Ministry Thieves
Mirrorthrone So Frail
Motley Crue Dr. Feelgood
Motley Crue Kickstart My Heart
Motley Crue Live Wire
Motorhead Back at the Funny Farm
Motorhead In the Black
Motorhead Marching Off to War
Motorhead We Are the Road Crew
Nitro Machine Gun Eddie
Omen The Axeman
Ostrogoth Queen of Desire
Overkill World of Hurt
Ozzy Osbourne Believer
Ozzy Osbourne Mr. Crowley
Ozzy Osbourne Diary of a Madman
Prong Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck
Quiet Riot The Wild and the Young
Racer X Technical Difficulties
Racer X Y.R.O.
Ratt Lay It Down
Riot Road Racin
Riot Narita
Riot Swords and Tequila
Rob Zombie Superbeast
Rotting Christ Ad Notics
Running Wild Riding the Storm
Sanctuary Battle Angels
Savatage Hall of the Mountain King
Saxon Wheels of Steel
Scorpions Blackout
Scorpions Holiday
Skeletonwitch Soul Thrashing Black Sorcery
Skid Row Youth Gone Wild
Slayer Metal Storm/Face The Slayer
Slough Feg Warriors Dawn
Static-X Love Dump
Tenacious D Master Exploder
Tenacious D The Metal
Testament For The Glory Of
Testament More Than Meets The Eye
Tvangeste Birth of the Hero
UFO Rock Bottom
Whitesnake Still of the Night
Wrath of Killenstein Ignisis Dance

Brütal Legend will launch on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.

There's one word to describe the latest down loadable game offerings from Nintendo: phenomenal. For starters, Nintendo Wii owners can dive into a space adventure for the ages as the Super NES classic Super Star Wars™ makes its Virtual Console debut. WiiWare devotees have two extraordinary new titles to choose from, including the high-flying NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits and the super-charged Rock N' Roll Climber. And don't miss this week's Nintendo DSiWare Brain Age title, which will help keep your mind buzzing wherever you go.

WiiWare

NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits
Publisher: Over The Top Games
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Experience the awesome story of Nyx, an enigmatic winged girl who must descend from heaven in search of her missing friend, Icarus. Fly over the ruins of ancient Greece and avoid falling into blazing sands or perishing in the claws of cruel harpies and hydras. You will need the help of Zeus and other benevolent gods from Olympus to summon their powers. They will let you cast rays, modify the scenery and control winds as you wish. By making your own wrist movements and pointing to the game screen, you will be able to achieve these and many other feats. Fly, aim and shoot using your Wii Remote™ controller. Play with a friend and maximize your abilities: While one controls Nyx, the other will control the powers from the gods.

Rock N' Roll Climber
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Prepare to "rock out" like never before in Rock N' Roll Climber. Climb rocks using the innovative control scheme, which has you controlling your character's movement using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk™ controllers. If you want an even more immersive experience, optional support for the Wii Balance Board™ is also available. Make your way up an array of courses, ranging from the Pop level's indoor rock wall to the Heavy Metal level's waterfalls (watch out for those moss-covered rocks - they're slick). In addition to the sense of accomplishment you'll feel upon reaching the top, you might just be rewarded with your own guitar.

Virtual Console

Super Star Wars
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: LucasArts
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Risk your life as a Jedi Knight. Join Luke, Han and Chewbacca in their fierce war against the Evil Empire. Battle treacherous aliens. Pilot two vehicles in high-speed, first-person 3-D sequences. Rip through the desert in Luke's landspeeder. Clash with aliens in the Mos Eisley Cantina. Blast menacing boss monsters and Imperial stormtroopers. Attack TIE fighters in the trenches of the Death Star. Fight your way through the wastelands of Tatooine to the hostile streets of Mos Eisley and beyond. Grab your blaster, strap on your lightsaber and take on the fight for galactic freedom.

Nintendo DSiWare

Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Language
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: This edition of the popular Brain Age series offers players a mix of new and familiar exercises, all with an artistic focus. Test your spelling in Word Attack, enjoy literary classics in Reading Aloud and tune your musical skills in Piano Player. A new Themes mode challenges you in drawing, photography and voice acting and lets you share your creativity with friends and family. And if you need a break, the always-enjoyable Virus Buster makes its return. Prepare for another round of training your brain in minutes a day.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

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

Upcoming and ambitious video game publisher Iceberg Interactive is proud to announce that the highly anticipated Horror FPS Killing Floor is now available in stores all over the UK.

Killing Floor is a Co-op Survival Horror FPS taking place in the devastated cities and countryside of England, after a series of cloning experiments for the military goes horribly wrong.

You and your friends are members of the military and police, dropped into these locations with a simple mission: survive long enough to cleanse the area of the failed experiments. The only problem is, these “experiments” aren’t waiting to be taken out – they’re coming for YOU!

Iceberg Interactive CEO Erik Schreuder said: “With the game set in London and typical English countryside locations, as well as featuring refreshingly real English voice overs for the characters, Killing Floor is a shockingly good alternative for the Hollywood style zombie games that have dominated the market so far. Add the very friendly pricing to the mix and this should be the zombie shooter of choice for every Brit.”

To find out more about Killing Floor and to keep up with the latest news on the game, visit www.iceberg-interactive.com

Key features:

• Co-op game mode for up to six players obliterating multiple waves of specimens
• Persistent Perks system, allowing players to convert their in-game achievements into permanent improvements to their character’s skills and abilities

• Over 40 Steam Achievements, including “Dignity for the dead” for killing 10 enemies feeding on dead teammates’ corpses and “Hot Cross Fun” for finishing off 25 burning enemies with a Crossbow.

• Watch those crucial and violent creature deaths in slomo “ZEDtime”, even in multiplayer

• Solo game mode for offline play

• 9 different monster types trying to eat your face off, armed with everything from teeth and claws, through to chainsaws, chainguns and rocket-launchers

• 12+ weapons for the players to chose from, ranging from knives and fire-axes up to pump shotguns, rifles and a flamethrower. Add in a welder, medical tools and body armor to help the players survive

• Players choose which Perks to play with, so they can best balance out a co-op team to survive the horrors

• Open, non-linear play areas: choose when and where to fight – or run; weld doors closed to try and direct the monster horde

• Fully-configurable, allowing players to change things as simple as the difficulty level or number of creature waves, or go so far as to set up their own favorite waves of monsters

• Support for Steam Friends and other Steamworks features

• Includes SDK for the creation of new levels and mods

Archaeology meets adventure in this adventure-style game released to retail, courtesy of Focus Multimedia. Lauded by the BBC as ‘the next best thing to sleeping in a haunted house,’ Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle is not for the faint-hearted!

This creepy tale is set in Cornwall, a land rife with myths and legends. An ancient burial mound, known locally as Barrow Hill, has been disturbed. What was unearthed during a recent archaeological dig in the Barrow? Is it the cause of human disappearances and supernatural events?

You have been tasked with exploring Barrow Hill in order to unravel a sinister plot and discover exactly what happened to world-famous archaeologist Conrad Morse and his team.

Tread ancient pathways across the countryside, seek clues in almost forgotten shrines and experience the primeval forces which exist in the stone circle. Following in the footsteps of Conrad Morse, you will discover that the barrow is more than just a mound of earth and a collection of forgotten standing stones.

Features
• Discover a world of puzzles, archaeology and ancient rituals
• Use gadgets to locate clues and communicate with other characters
• Haunting soundtrack of creepy music and spine-chilling sound effects

Test your wits and your nerve in the immersive world of Barrow Hill. But whatever you do, don’t turn out the lights. You have been warned…

Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle joins Focus Multimedia’s Essential range of great value PC games and software. Every Focus Essential title has the suggested retail price of just £9.78 including VAT.

Phantom EFX, a leading developer and publisher of entertainment software, with independent game development studio 8monkey Labs confirmed today the PC demo of Darkest of Days, a free-to-play version of the highly anticipated historically-based first person shooter, will be available on August 11, 2009.

“Custer's infamous last stand at the Battle of Little Big Horn, and the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American history… these are just a few of humanity’s darkest days, and you can dive into both of these in the Darkest of Days demo,” said Aaron Schurman, Chief Executive Officer at Phantom EFX. “This hour-long demo lets players experience unrivaled carnage and to experience what it’s like to use futuristic weapons in period settings and see what happens when you alter history while fighting against hundreds of enemies during some of man's greatest struggles in History!”

The demo features some serious action, throwing players into the middle of raging battles, while also giving players great hands-on time with a variety of weapons. To get a more in-depth look at the rich weapons loadout, check out the weapons training video at Gametrailers.com.

Key features of Darkest of Days include:

• Brand New Engine: The dedicated team at 8monkey Labs has created an all-new, groundbreaking game engine known as Marmoset. The Marmoset engine not only breaks from the all-too present Unreal engine FPS clones flooding the market, but also allows for some amazing graphical capabilities. You’ll fight through epic battles filled with literally hundreds of NPCs on the screen at the same time, all with an advanced AI without a hint of graphical slowdown and all set against wide-open environments that are lushly detailed and dynamically lighted.

• Compelling Storyline: Darkest of Days is a compelling, action-packed first-person shooter to be sure, but it’s not just mindless run-and-gun, blow ‘em up gameplay. You’ll not only have to think about how to approach certain key battles and situations, but you’ll also have to take care when fighting – certain key people that were never meant to die will be marked with a special blue aura. If you kill them, you’ll face dire consequences…

• Wreak Havoc with Future Weapons in Antiquity: Something nearly every gamer that’s ever played a shooter based in the past has always wanted is the ability to bring a futuristic weapon back through history and kick some major butt. How differently would Custer’s last stand have turned out if the General was equipped with an M-16 assault rifle? You’ll be able to answer questions like this and more in Darkest of Days. While not every battle and situation will allow you to wield weapons from the future, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to unleash futuristic fury on your unsuspecting foes.

• PC powered by PhysX: Only available for the PC on NVIDIA GeForce GPUs, NVIDIA PhysX technology delivers real-time and hyper-realistic physical gaming effects in Darkest of Days. “Canned” reactions are a thing of the past with PhysX, which brings Darkest of Days to concussive life with blazing explosions and weapons impact effects, reactive debris, realistic water and fog, and lifelike environmental effects including smoke, dirt, dust, and wind.

To download the free-to-play version of Darkest of Days, please visit www.darkestofdays.com to view a list of sites that will host the official demo.

To pre-order Darkest of Days, please visit store.phantomefx.com. For more information about Darkest of Days, please visit www.darkestofdays.com.

Nordcurrent have just announced their latest title for Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS, Ninja Captains. Running from bulls in Spain, gondola racing in Venice, sledding down icy mountains in Antarctica, and battling a giant robotic mouse in New York are just some of the zany activities you perform in this hilarious party game.



The game not only offers 20 unique games that are both fun and challenging, but the Wii version also lets up to 4 players join the action and compete for high score supremacy. Top this off with a quirky sense of humour and a plot that revolves around a team of clumsy ninja cats accidentally travelling the world instead of saving their hometown from a terrifying mouse menace, and you’ve got a sure-fire hit with both friends and family!

Each game takes you to a different world famous city, playing on comical stereotypes to ensure the challenges you face are constantly new and exciting. Cities you visit include London, Sydney, Paris, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and many others. The gameplay is varied and exercises your speed, timing and coordination as you are called upon to perform activities that range from racing to climbing, balancing, dodging, dancing, and even surfing! The colourful and loveably awkward ‘heroes’ will draw you in even further with their epic mission that provides the perfect back-story to a journey that spans across every continent before ending up back in downtown New York for the final showdown with a massive robotic mouse bent on destroying the city.

The combination of wacky humour, addictive gameplay and exotic locations makes Ninja Captains a must-play title this year for anyone who owns a Nintendo Wii or DS... Don’t miss out!

The culmination of all things Madden NFL has arrived with Online Franchise in Madden NFL 10. The latest Madden NFL 10 Video Documentary series is now available, which includes details and perspectives on the all-new, award winning Online Franchise mode direct from the development team.


Enjoy 32 team leagues, featuring anywhere from 1 to 32 human controlled teams, in Online Franchise mode that provides full team management, including trades, live drafts, depth chart changes, and moreand its all just one click away!


Online Franchise is the biggest feature to ever grace Madden NFL and its all manageable from your console, remotely through a web browser, or via a custom iPod Touch Application. Have full control of your team from anywhere you can log on. With new mobile updates and web connections, Online Franchise is available to you 24/7, and with immediate updates to your console, you'll never miss a down. Online Franchise revolutionizes gamezplay in that it acts as a true NFL season with 32 teams and a full season, including playoffs and the Super Bowl.

Online Franchise is exclusive to the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 versions of Madden NFL 10, which will be available in stores on August 14th.

Lead and Gold – Gangs of the Wild West

- Third person shooter with team multiplayer

- In addition to a strong multiplayer focus, players will have the opportunity to practice versus AI driven teams either by themselves or in co-op mode.



- Supported platforms are still to be announced but the game is developed created with digital distribution both on console and PC in mind.

- The game is raising the standards for online distributed games by utilizing graphics and gameplay features similar to those used by a majority of today’s AAA-titles.

- Lead and Gold – Gangs of the Wild West catapults the player straight into the dramatic crescendo of the Western myth. Relive the high-noon duel on the main street of a frontier town or the intense firefight during a bank heist. Immerse yourself in gameplay drawing from a perfect mix of cool-headed player skill and the brutal close quarter brawl of the classic Western shoot out.

- Lead and Gold - Gangs of the Wild West is built with the GRIN Diesel Engine, previously used for Bionic Commando, Bionic Commando Rearmed and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter.

50 Cent will be providing voice over work for squads in the multi-player portion of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. 50 Cent is getting more and more into games it seems, following up Blood on the Sand with some voice over work for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in what Activision is calling a 'casual cameo'.

Pictures of 50 Cent visiting Infinity Ward appeared on his blog (which we only read because we visited via Eurogamer) 'This is 50'. Infinity Ward spokesperson Robert Bowling later confirmed that 50 Cent will be featured in the game.

Specifically, 50 will be providing the voices of some squad members in the multiplayer portion of the game, which means you can get used to him saying things like "reloading", "air strike" and we might even be lucky enough to hear our favourite line from 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand - "f***ing grenade!".

Bowling also confirmed that 50 Cent is by no means the only celebrity who has been signed to feature in the game and that more and more 'casual cameos' will be unveiled in the lead-up to release.

Infinity Ward was quick to point out that members of Good Charlotte are not on the cameo list though, despite being shown in pictures on the This is 50 blog. Apparently 50 Cent is just really good friends with Benji and Joel from Good Charlotte.

Source: Bit-Tech

A Winnipeg company is aiming for development of a curling video game for Nintendo's Wii console, and appears right on target. Complex Games is producing Wii Curl in hopes of putting it on the market by late next year, after securing a prized licence with the Nintendo home gaming giant.

"Without a licence from Nintendo, you can't actually get access to their hardware ... so that's a big deal for us," president Noah Decter-Jackson said.



"Now that we've got the licence, we can develop our curling game for the Nintendo Wii."

The "very important milestone," said Decter-Jackson, follows development of a game prototype for an event in conjunction with the Canadian Embassy. After attending a video game conference in San Francisco, the company's management figured it had a shot.

Though the firm refuses to reveal what the Nintendo licence has cost, it says the game could be lucrative.

"They have the largest console, and the most popular console in the world," Decter-Jackson said.

"Getting on the Nintendo Wii is a huge deal."

One of their goals is to throw out a product much more realistic and in line with the actual sport than an existing curling video game which is part of a large Nintendo Wii package.

"You have to make some concessions and tweak things to get it there. But having an idea of how the basic motions are, helps craft the game," said Adrian Cheater, Complex's technical director.

"We sort of draw on people we know with much more experience in the game to get a more accurate representation of what the game is."

TECMO KOEI EUROPE LIMITED proudly announces details of the Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Collector’s Edition, along with a fantastic value pricing structure, setting the RRP at £49.99. Set for release on October 2nd 2009, the Collector’s Edition will be on sale exclusively at HMV. The release coincides with the release date of the standard edition of the hottest, most intense and challenging action-packed ninja adventure game.

The Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Collector’s Edition includes...

• A copy of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, exclusively for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.
• Limited Edition 80 page ‘Ninja Gaiden Treasury’ featuring:
- Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 prologue comic written and designed by Team NINJA, which sheds more light on the intriguing storylines of Ninja Gaiden.
-Character and Concept Art Gallery .
- Lite-Strategy Guide including: Weapon Profiles for the 4 playable characters. Combos & Ninpos. Hints and Tips for Story Mode and Team Missions.
- Commentary from Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 producer Yosuke Hayashi, the Lead Artists behind the game and one final Tidbit from Team NINJA….
• Complete, limited edition original soundtrack CD.
• Exclusive downloadable costume available through the PlayStation Network.

“Tecmo Koei Europe is staffed by gamers, with a gamers’ eye on what makes a worthwhile purchase. With the announcement of the Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Collector’s Edition, we’re sure fans of the series will love what’s in store for them”, said Will Curley, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Setting the RRP of the Collector’s Edition Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 at £49.99 we believe gamers will feel they’re getting a lot of Ninja Gaiden and extras for their cash”.

The sequel to Red Orchestra, the leading realism-based multi-player WWII shooter on the PC. Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad will take the award winning Red Orchestra franchise into the next generation of gaming. Cutting edge graphics and audio built using the Unreal Engine 3, inventive features and streamlined realism will deliver an unrivaled WWII experience.

Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad will focus on the Battle of Stalingrad and the surrounding operations, both German and Russian, from July 1942 to February 1943. The game allows the player to experience one of the most brutal battles in all of human history. The game consists out of two campaigns - the Red Army and German missions.Delivering unrivaled accuracy and attention to detail, along with gritty, vicious combat in multiplayer, co-op and solo modes the game will feature everything from quick, brutal firefights to more intricate and challenging simulation modes.

The developers have built upon their huge success with the last title and have added a slew of new features including:
RO multiplayer taken to new heights: In addition to the award winning Territory game type from RO, all new gametypes such as Firefight and Countdown add greater diversity, replay ability and fun.
Persistent Stats Tracking and Player Progression: Grow in rank, earn medals, improve abilities, and become a Hero - all visible to the complete online gaming community and embedded within the game.
Heroes: Obtain the ultimate goal and become a Hero online.

Players with hero status inspire troops around them and cause fear in their enemies. Heroes have access to the best and rarest weapons and equipment, and will stand out visually from the rest of the soldiers.

Stalingrad Campaign: The Stalingrad campaign will feature the multi-player maps used in a campaign layout recreating the battle for Stalingrad from both the German and Russian sides.

First person cover system: Experience the ultimate firefights that a cover system allows, from the immersion of a first person view. Peek or blind fire over and around cover and more.

Squad Command: Command fire teams on the battlefield using an easy to use first person interface.
WWII weaponry redefined: true to life ballistics, bullet penetration, breathing, adjustable sights, free aim, weapon bracing, photo-real graphics and more.

Co-op: Players can connect with their friends and battle the AI in multiple game types including the Stalingrad Campaign, Skirmish Mode, and more.

Morale: Experience what it is like to be a soldier in one of the bloodiest conflicts in history and the importance of a soldier's state of mind and how it can turn the tide of battle.

Wales-based PC adventure developer Arberth Studios is preparing for the imminent release of its game ‘Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches’ in the German language into Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where it will be called ‘Rhiannon: Fluch der Vier Zweige’. The game is currently undergoing approval at the German Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK), which recommends the minimum age of players.

Arberth’s Noel Bruton explains, “the German release of Rhiannon was originally to take place around February 2009, but all that came to a halt when the then publisher, Lighthouse Interactive, suffered its financial difficulties. We’ve now found new routes to market and are pursuing them keenly.”

Legend-based and puzzle-filled adventure for the PC promises bone-chilling ghost stories and spine-tingling mysteries before Halloween

The lack of a German version did not prevent bilingual German speakers from playing it. A number of the German adventure forums contain posts from appreciative players of the English version – one even has a German language walkthrough of the English game.

Bruton continues, “Last week we informally mentioned on a few of the German adventure forums that we were thinking of releasing the German version. We were struck by how positive the reaction was, and this has urged us to pursue a proper launch. No release date has been finalised yet, as there are considerations such as the USK testing and the availability of pressing plant capacity to sort out. But it will almost certainly be this side of Halloween.”

Bruton admits a very personal interest in seeing Arberth products on sale in Germany. “I had a great time as a student of German, living near Stuttgart years ago. I’m enjoying brushing up on the language. But I didn’t translate the game – the localisation was done by German professionals.”

The game launches at a promotional price of $0.99/£0.59/0.79€ which is amazing value for money for a beautifully realised game which includes 32 levels of time-warping puzzles, not to mention cats, professors and hair dryers.
Released in tandem with the game is ‘Timeloop Lite’ – a free ‘taster’ of the full game. Timeloop Lite features five whole levels from the full game – the first four levels which ease you into the game plus



There are 32 levels in total and they all basically comprise a set of interconnecting rooms that are for the most part locked. You are a highly trained robot and to fix the doors, it's just a matter of going up to the door and the control panel, tap the icon and fix the problem. The tricky bit is that if you move away from the control panel, the door will lock itself again. This is where your other self steps in to help out. While your first incarnation is keeping the door open, your other self can walk through and tackle the next set of problems. If needed, a third robot can be summoned and walk all the way through to rescue the prof. Each time you reincarnate, time spins back and you see the shadow of your former self scurrying through the level repeating the moves you made. The key point to remember is that the first robot cannot interact with the second robot. Say the first robot unlocks a door for the second robot to pass through and the second robot then opens another door. The first robot cannot then walk through this second door because it wasn't open in the first instance. Lets not get in a debate about time travel. I know Back To The Future might have done things different but these are the rules of TimeLoop.

This is a mind boggling game at the outset and kudos to the development guys who thought up this crazy game. There is a countdown for the remaining oxygen and you do only have a set number of timeloops that you can generate. We've had the preview build for a few weeks and at first we were busy clock watching and trying to be super efficient and we basically overcomplicated the game. After leaving the game alone for a couple of weeks to fester in the back of our heads, it all became clear. With your first robot, a general rule is to do as much as you can and go as far as possible with it until time runs out. The TimeLoop will automatically engage once the time runs out and then you can take your second robot through the first set of open doors and continue in the quest. It's not the most efficient approach but it should just get you through most of the levels. For the real puzzle maniacs, the game does have an award system but getting the gold score is very very difficult and requires excellent timing and control.

The controls are all touch based. Tap the screen for the robot to walk there and tap the control box for the robot to fix the device. It's all pretty straight forward although sometimes your robot may slide across the walls trying to get through the door because you haven't directed it in a straight line through the opening. The graphics have that mad scientist feel to them with zany colours and just a general wacky feel to it all. The sound is actually quite good and the wails of the trapped scientists are particularly funny.

TimeLoop is a very well thought out game and should keep you amused for a good few hours. If you are keen to get all the gold, then this will definitely entertain and frustrate you for many more.

Indulge in a time-traveling adventure of cake-baking fun with Cake Mania 3!

Master cake-baker Jill Evans is ready to tackle her biggest challenge yet - planning her dream wedding! But disaster strikes when her friends and family are the victims of a dysfunctional time travel gadget and are transported to random periods in time.

In this mouse-crunching time management adventure from Sandlot Games, the world’s premier developer of casual games, you must learn the basics of cake-making and fill customer orders before they get annoyed and walk out. The quicker you serve, the more they tip – but look out – some customers are more patient than others! Can you help Jill work her cake-making magic and get everyone back before the wedding begins?

Features:
• Over 350 possible level combination
• Over 30 wacky customer types including witches, wizards, Robin Hood and The Hunchback of Notre Dame
• 6 bakery locations; Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, Old England, Revolutionary France, The Stone Age and a final secret location!
• Kitchen upgrades and customisable bakeries
• Mini-games include giving Jill a new look and designing your very own wedding cake!

Available for the first time on CD-ROM in the UK and Ireland through a leading European publisher INTENIUM, Cake Mania 3 joins Focus Multimedia’s Essential range of great value PC games and software. Every Focus Essential title has the suggested retail price of just £9.78 including VAT.

"The sequel to the greatest ninja game ever made comes to the PlayStation 3" PlayStation The Official Magazine. The most intense, challenging, action-packed ninja adventure is back, exclusively on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system!




Developed by Tecmo's own Team NINJA, the NINJA GAIDEN series follows the adventures of super ninja Ryu Hayabusa throughout the world. The series has earned high praise and a loyal following amongst core fans, as well as action gamers alike. NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA was the first in the series to land on the PLAYSTATION 3 system. From playability, visual presentation to sound, the game received excellent scores all around.

"Ninja Gaiden Sigma featured one of the most infamously challenging, yet undeniably addictive, fighting mechanics ever to grace an action game."
- PlayStation The Official Magazine, May 2009
NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2 is graced the cover of the May 2009 issue of PlayStation The Official Magazine, which includes an 8-page exclusive feature on the upcoming title, as well as an interview with Team NINJA's director and producer Yosuke Hayashi.

NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2 has not been rated by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB).

The latest issue of Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu reveals Super Mario Collection in a list of game trademarks.

Super Mario Collection (known as Super Mario All-Stars in Europe) was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993 and contained updated versions of four classic Mario games. Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels were all included on the cartridge with improved graphics and sound to take advantage of the SNES hardware.

The new trademark may suggest that this original compilation could arrive on the Virtual Console in the future. The NES versions of these games are already available for download on the Wii but the enhanced SNES compilation would certainly be of interest to many, particularly those who have never experienced any of these Mario games in any form (there must be someone!).

There are other possible outcomes of the trademark, however. It is possible that it could indicate a DSi release of some kind such as a download on the DSi store of the SNES Super Mario All-Stars or perhaps an all new collection containing Game Boy titles such as Super Mario Land, Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins and Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3.

Obviously, there are many possibilities as to what this trademark could imply. Feel free to speculate in the comments section below and stay tuned for more information on the Super Mario Collection trademark in the future.

Source: n-europe

Mortal Kombat is going back to it’s root but Ed Boon and friends will be adding something revolutionary to Mortal Kombat 9. Mortal Kombat 9 is currently in development by WB Games Chicago, under Warner Bros.

Recently posted up on the Time Warner.com’s job page, is a position to join the team working on Mortal Kombat 9. The listing details that the title will bring “brand-new features that will revolutionize online play.”

WB Games Inc. seeks a Senior Software Engineer, Network to help us implement cutting-edge online features to ensure the Mortal Kombat franchise is an industry leader in online functionality. We are looking to position Mortal Kombat as the “gold standard” for network play, and we are looking for someone who wants to push the boundaries of what is possible with online interaction.

You will work closely with architects and designers on both the Mortal Kombat team and the advanced technology group to help design and implement functionality ranging from the core network transport layer all the way to owning the final implementation of brand-new features that will revolutionize online play.

The much-anticipated Halo movie, which died a premature death after Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson tried to get it off the ground a couple of years back, may be alive again. And not just that, but it may have an even bigger name than Jackson's attached to it as producer now…

Steven Spielberg.

IESB is reporting that "Spielberg is blown away by writer Stuart Beattie's take on the game in his script entitled Halo the Fall of Reach. This coupled with the fact that his DreamWorks umbrella is looking for a big tent pole to help launch their newly independant [sic] studio with distribution over at Walt Disney Pictures after losing Transformers to Paramount in the separation, it's the perfect combination."


The report also notes how Spielberg actor Shia LaBeouf has been talking about how the director is fascinated with the game BioShock lately, and also that word has it that "CAA, who rep both Spielberg and Beattie, is pushing these negotiations heavily."

Lack of Blu-ray and guaranteed hard drive creating limitations for the next-gen crime opus, acknowledges Rockstar

The Xbox 360's lack of a guaranteed hard disk is creating limitations in Grand Theft Auto IV's development, Rockstar has acknowledged.

During an interview with our partners in crime at Official PlayStation Magazine, Rockstar's creative vice president Dan Houser was asked: "On PS3 you've got a guarantee that every machine is going to have a hard-drive and, with Blu-ray, you've got plenty of storage, whereas on Xbox 360 there's no guarantee of a hard-drive and you're working with the DVD format. Does that create limitations?" To which he replied, "Yep."

He continued, "To be honest with you we haven't solved all those riddles yet." The difficulties aren't limited to working on Microsoft's box, as Houser explains that "both have enormous challenges" and that "both have their own particular pleasures and pains".

Rockstar hasn't said anything about a target SKU between the two consoles, but they're currently demoing the game to press running on an Xbox 360 - so we wouldn't worry too much if you've only got Microsoft's console. Look for more on GTA IV in the next few weeks.

Source: CVG

Developer Infinity Ward has confirmed that it will issue additional map packs for Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 following the game's release.

Speaking to MTV, studio exec Robert Bowling revealed that the war sim will be "heavily" supported with downloadable content, announcing that the two map packs unveiled at this year's E3 will not be the title's only expansions.




"As far as DLC goes, we love it and plan to support Modern Warfare 2 heavily with post-launch support," he said. "We've confirmed we'll be doing at least two map packs which were announced at E3 as a timed exclusive for Xbox 360.

"The fact that we confirmed at least two map packs doesn't mean there won't be more; honestly we plan on shaping our DLC based on community feedback from the full game, and [the] first two DLC map packs.

"Therefore, the community will really determine what comes after that."

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be released for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in November.

Tech Radar have published this post listing 7 amazing tricks that Nintendo fail to let you know you can do on your Nintendo Wii.

From email tricks to Mario attack it listed below.


1. Email a chum's Wii

You'll need to have a record of those damnably unmemorable friend codes for anyone you want to mail, but once you do it's simple: just drop a message to w[friendcode]@wii.com. For instance, w1234567891011@wii.com.

2. Add a smooth, constant blue glow to your Wii

The blue lighting around the disc slot normally only glows when the Wii's got some sort of announcement for you, and disappears once you've read it. However, you can lend your lounge a sci-fi feel by making that tastefull glow permanent. Just email your own Wii - using the system in the tip above - but never read the message (which can take up to an hour to arrive, incidentally). As long as it stays unread, that cheeky light will keep on twinkling.

3. Mario attack

If you're downloading something from the Wii shop - be it a new channel or a virtual console title - have a gander at what the Mario animation in the progress bar is wearing. If he's dressed in red and white (as opposed to his traditional red and blue togs), you can make him chuck fireballs with the A button.

4. Puzzle puzzle

Unlock a hidden hardcore mode in the Photo Channel's jigsaw mini-game. Move the cursor over the number of pieces you want to split your photo into, but hold down the 1 button before you select the option. The resulting jigsaw will be split into 194 pieces, which makes for quite the pictorial challenge.

5. Restore MP3 playback

Speaking of the photo channel, you were probably narked to discover that last year's update to do it inexplicably removed MP3 soundtrack support, lumping us with AAC tracks only. Yeah thanks, Ninty. Fortunately, you can downgrade to the original version by heading to Wii Settings then Data Management, then selecting the Channels tab and choosing to delete the Photo Channel entirely. Don't worry, it won't disappear - instead, it'll revert to sweet old version 1.0, replete with MP3 support.

6. Fix stubborn Wiimotes

If you're having trouble getting a new or borrowed Wiimote to synch with your console, there's a way to make the Wii completely forget about all the remotes it's paired with so that you can start afresh. Turn the Wii off and unplug it from the wall. Wait 30 seconds, then plug it in and turn it on again. When the Health & Safety warning pops up, open the flap on the front of the Wii, then press and hold down the red SYNC button for 15 seconds. And that's it - all the synced controllers will be forgotten. Then pair all your Wiimotes with the console using the standard method.

7. Use your Wiimotes with your PC

Yep, the Wiimote uses standard Bluetooth wireless tech to talk to the console - which means it can also work with a PC. So your Wii controller can double up as a remote control for movie watching, or you can even play any game with it. You'll need either built-in Bluetooth support or a USB adaptor in your PC, plus free app GlovePIE to get it working. There's a little bit of faff involved, but the instructions at the GlovePIE site will talk you through it. You can also download pre-made profiles for specific games.

When Tekken 6, the weaponless fighting game, appears on the PSP Namco have promised it will have DLC (downloadable content).

The hand held video game will have nearly all the features of the full Tekken 6 console version. With Idolmaster already offering over $100 of DLC on the PSP who knows what Tekken 6 DLC will cost?

Just added a couple of Chronicles of Riddock developer videos to my YouTube channel Gameboyuk (please subscribe). They show the amazing graphics, before and after, plus the in game sound creation. Watch them and see what you think.

£99.99 is the price of the new Tony Hawk title and accompanying skateboard for PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360. Bearing in mind you can get a 'real' starter skateboard for around £20, that's a hefty premium to pay for a soft landing on the carpet. You'll also look seriously more cool with a genuine board under your arm, as opposed to a carrier bag containing a large cardboard box and plastic accessories.

The game is set to be unleashed on November 20th, just in time to make your Christmas list and will be offered with a 'regular' wireless board or a limited edition version, a black and red board bearing the logo of Mr Hawk. The latter only being available at Game stores. We're presuming this isn't going to be at a premium, but we wouldn't put anything past Activision right now. Is it any good? Well, the finished game hasn't yet been put through its paces by any reviewers of note. With the new version being such a radical departure from past efforts, you might want to wait until a few hands-on notices come through before splashing the cash. Unless you're a TH obsessive - in that case, get in!

The EU blog ran an interview with Guillaume De Fondaumiere, Co-CEO Of Quantic Dream, the developers behind PS3 exclusive Heavy Rain. Whilst worth watching in its own right, it’s the replies to the comments, more candid that usual, that are the bones of this post. When asked about the E3 demo, Alex Pavey, European Product Manager for the game replied: “the ‘Taxidermist Demo’ from E3/Leipzig 2008 certainly won’t be going to waste. But I can’t say any more than that, for now at least.”




On the same subject but replying to another poster, Pavey said “there won’t be a downloadable demo available in the immediate future, but rest assured that we’re definitely planning to give players opportunities to try Heavy Rain for themselves, before the game is released.”

He was also asked about Home integration, to which he said: “there’s such a great community in Home, and we’re definitely thinking about ways to bring Heavy Rain into it. I can’t say more than that for now, but Home is certainly in Quantic Dream’s thoughts.” Other soundbites of interest from Alex Pavey? “DLC is certainly a possibility,” for one, and on Trophies: “Quantic Dream are working hard on a way of integrating trophies into the game in way that will contribute to the experience, and not detract from the atmosphere.” The game is out in early 2010, and looks certain to cause a bit of stir when it does.

Konami has revealed plans to reissue classic PlayStation 2 titles for retail, according to Eurogamer.

The publisher has already repackaged Suikoden Tactics, Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, with Silent Hill 2, 3 and 4 also in the pipeline.

"They are proper reissues," a spokesperson told the website. "Konami has put them out at budget price because of demand. They are remanufactured. They are ours.

"We've manufactured certain amounts depending on the title, and they're being bought by wholesalers so will likely pop up in independent rather than chain stores."

The budget re-releases are expected to retail between £10 and £20.

DECA SPORTS 2 Expands on Popular Franchise as the First Sports Compilation Game to Offer Online Competitive Play. Athletes of all shapes, sizes, and skill levels wanted! Hudson Entertainment, the North and South American publishing arm of HUDSON SOFT, announced that DECA SPORTS 2 will be released in Fall 2009, following the landmark success of DECA SPORTS, the exclusive title for Nintendo Wii that shipped two million units.



“Due to the massive popularity of sports games on Nintendo Wii, the demand for in-game variety and online gameplay has never been greater,” said Mike Pepe, Director of Marketing at Hudson Entertainment. “With online play and 10 new sporting events, we believe DECA SPORTS 2 will delight fans and new players alike.”



As the only Wii sports compilation game with Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection online multiplayer, DECA SPORTS 2 will allow players to compete against other ‘DECAthletes’ from around the country. Featuring diverse sports such as synchronized swimming, motorcycle road racing, speed skating, ice hockey, mogul skiing, dodge ball, tennis, and darts, as well as lesser known international sports such as petanque and kendo, DECA SPORTS 2 will continue the original game’s credo of “the Everybody Sports Game.” Besides the new play, gamers will also be able to design their own teams, customizing uniforms, athlete skill sets, and even the looks of the athletes themselves.

Nice cars indeed; and you'd probably be very happy to own such vehicles, if you are the rich and sleazy bastard who can afford such unnecessary luxury.

Forza Motorsport 3 is going to be in stores for the Xbox 360 on October 27, 2009. Judging from the new screenshots, I must say they've improved those car models quite a bit.

From what I hear, they've tweaked the vehicle physics to make it seem more realistic, but they'll also allow players to use assistance while driving (breaks and so on) if you're interested in a more arcadish kind of experience:

All in all, it should be a good racer.


Link to the screenshots on ActionTrip

Activision and Double Fine have settled their dispute over publishing rights for Brutal Legend, paving the way for the game’s release.

The settlement comes just before both sides were to present their arguments to court, with Activision claiming that it still owns the rights to publish Brutal Legend, despite seemingly dropping the title from its line-up following the Blizzard merger.



When EA picked up the rights to publish the game Activision sued. Double Fine then counter-sued, claiming that Activision was simply trying to protect sales of Guitar Hero, and had no real interest in publishing Brutal Legend unless it was under the Guitar Hero brand.

Before the settlement the judge presiding over the case expressed doubts over Activision’s claims, saying that he couldn’t see any “likelihood of success” for the mega-publisher.

Double Fine countersued, claiming Activision terminated its agreement to release the heavy-metal inspired game after a failed attempt to make it part of the company's lucrative "Guitar Hero" franchise. Double Fine claimed Activision then moved to stop the release of "Brutal Legend" to try to protect "Guitar Hero."

"Brutal Legend" features Black as band roadie transported to a mythical ancient world to fight evil.

Los Angeles Superior Court spokeswoman Vania Stuelp said attorneys for Activision notified the court of the settlement agreement with Double Fine. Attorneys for the companies did not immediately return calls seeking comment on Thursday.

A hearing on a proposed injunction scheduled for Thursday morning was canceled. Activision's attorneys were set to argue why the game shouldn't be released.

Superior Court Judge Craig Karlan told attorneys last week that he was inclined to deny Activision's request and allow the game to be released on time.

New Concept Gaming today announced that the list of games compatible with its multi-award winning accessory jOG has now passed the 100 mark, with more being added every week. Furthermore, multiple jOGs can be used so the whole family can join in the fun, with such an extensive list of games to play in so many different genres that there’s no chance of anyone getting bored!

jOG is a unique motion sensing accessory compatible with the Nintendo Wii that allows character movement in the game only when the player jogs on the spot, creating a feedback loop immersing players deeper into the game play while taking light exercise. Simple to set up, jOG works with any games that use the Nunchuk joystick for character movement on screen, ensuring its compatibility with a much wider variety of games than other fitness related peripherals which require titles to be programmed specifically to make use of their functionality.

“The decision we made early in development to use ‘overlay’ technology has paid dividends as we see the compatibility list grow day by day,” explained Brendan Ludden, Managing Director of New Concept Gaming. “No other accessory in this field works with anywhere close to this number of games. While boredom is never far off with other fitness related peripherals, there will always be new, fresh games coming through that will work perfectly with jOG, and with multiplayer fully supported too, the whole family can join in the fun!”

Below is a list of games that we have tested with jOG compatible with Wii so we know they work well. We are constantly adding to this list so check back regularily to see if we've tested your favourite game yet!

• Alien Syndrome

• Alone in the Dark

• Animal Crossing: Lets Go to the City

• Anubis II

• Barnyard

• Baroque

• Battalion Wars 2

• Bee Movie Game

• Ben 10: Alien Force

• Ben 10: Protector of Earth

• Bleach: Shattered Blade

• Bolt

• Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood

• Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30

• Call of Duty 3

• Code Lyoko: Quest for Infinity

• Conduit The

• Crash of the Titans

• de Blob

• Dead Rising: Chop Til You Drop

• Death Jr.: Root of Evil

• Disaster: Day of Crisis

• Disneys Chicken Little: Ace in Action

• Disneys Meet the Robinsons

• Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

• Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire

• Eledees

• Escape from Bug Island

• Far Cry Vengeance

• Geometry Wars: Galaxies

• George of the Jungle

• Godzilla: Unleashed

• Igor the Game

• Indiana Jones and the Staff Of Kings

• Iron Man

• James Bond: Quantum of Solace

• Kung Fu Panda

• Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors

• Lego Batman

• Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures

• Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga

• Links Crossbow Training

• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

• Madworld

• Manhunt 2

• Mario Power Tennis

• Mario Strikers Charged

• Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

• Medal of Honor Heroes 2

• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

• Monsters vs. Aliens

• Mortal Kombat: Armageddon

• Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars

• MySims Kingdom

• Namco Museum Remix

• New Play Control! Pikmin

• Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots

• Nights: Journey of Dreams

• No More Heroes

• NPPL Championship Paintball 2009

• Obscure: The Aftermath

• Okami

• One Piece Unlimited Cruise 1 - The Treasure Beneath the Waves

• Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers

• Open Season

• Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End

• Prince of Persia Rival Swords

• Rampage: Total Destruction

• Ratatouille

• Red Steel

• Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition

• Rogue Trooper

• Scarface: The World Is Yours

• Shrek the Third

• Sonic and the Black Knight

• Sonic Unleashed

• Soulcalibur Legends

• Spider-Man: Friend or Foe

• Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

• SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab

• Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels

• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

• Super Mario Galaxy

• Super Smash Bros. Brawl

• Tenchu: Shadow Assassins

• The Ant Bully

• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

• The Destiny of Zorro

• The Godfather: Blackhand Edition

• The Incredible Hulk

• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

• The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

• The Secret Files: Tunguska

• The Simpsons Game

• Thrillville: Off the Rails

• TMNT

• Tom Clancys Splinter Cell Double Agent

• Tomb Raider: Anniversary

• Tomb Raider: Underworld

• Top Spin 3

• Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen

• WALL-E

• Wild Earth: African Safari

• WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008

• X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Natsume announce that its first iPhone title, Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming, is now available for download. Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming a unique and action-packed puzzle game set in the world of the popular Harvest Moon series.

"We are thrilled to be bringing this unique and addictive puzzle game to the iPhone," said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO at Natsume.

"Whether you're looking for fast-paced puzzle action or brain-teasing challenges that require careful planning, you'll have lots of fun with Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming!"

In Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming, your goal is to grow and harvest crops as fast as you can! It's easy to pick up and play, but takes skill and practice to master. Harvest chains of crops for big points, and use golden crops and rain to turn the field to your advantage! Test your speed and skill in Score Attack mode, or puzzle your way through thirty unique challenges in the brain-teasing Mission mode!

The consumer demo for Batman: Arkham Asylum, published in the United Kingdom by Eidos Interactive, is available NOW for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 entertainment system and Games For Windows LIVE.

The Batman: Arkham Asylum demo opens as the DARK KNIGHT and COMMISSIONER GORDON return The Joker back into confinement at ARKHAM ASYLUM. But things soon fall apart as THE JOKER gains the upper hand and springs a trap, setting Arkham Asylum’s occupants upon Batman. The demo offers gamers a taste of the fierce FreeFlow combat system, the cunning stealth of the Invisible Predator mechanic, and the feeling of becoming the WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE as they navigate Arkham Asylum’s imposing Intensive Treatment facility. Players can unlock character bios, as well as get a sneak peak at some of the infamous foes that BATMAN will encounter within the cavernous and macabre confines of Arkham Asylum.

The demo is available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360 and PlayStation Network for the PLAYSTATION 3. Fans can visit www.batmanarkhamasylum.com for details on how to download the Games For Windows LIVE version.

With a significant expansion of the world of Bounty Bay Online, Berlin-based publisher Frogster is about to stir the quiet waters of the Pacific Ocean! Scheduled for release in Q4 2009 "Beyond the Horizon" will add six new cities on the shores of North and South America and much more new content and new features to the historic sailor MMO world. For the first time ever, players will have the opportunity to circumvent the world by taking the route around Cape Hoorn and across the Pacific.

Available in German and English first, French players will be able to explore the new content a few months later. Like all previous add-ons, "Beyond the Horizon" will be available for free. The website http://www.bth.bountybayonline.com is online now and will provide information about the upcoming add-on regularly.

On their journey across the seas, players will travel to the legendary lands of the Maya in “Beyond the Horizon”, where, amidst imposing pyramids, players will find a new challenging, instanced, quest line. More instances like the Labyrinth on Crete or the Caves of Gibraltar await players following the compelling new quest lines.

Moreover, players will be able to choose from five new character classes called professions in “Beyond the Horizon”. Where players only could advance their skills and careers so far, they can now choose to become a Treasure Hunter, Armed Businessman, Royal Military Officer, Imperial Guardian or Caribbean Pirate. Every profession has their own skill-tree of specialties that can be raised by allocating skill-points.

Another important new feature of the historical world of sea-faring adventurers will be several merchants alliances like the Iberian or the Arabian merchant alliance: Individual players or complete guilds will be able to join them. Together they are then able to access special quest lines that yield exceptional rewards. Additional high-lights of “Beyond the Horizon” are a new wedding system, new wardrobe/clothes sets, several new mini-games, over 40 new main quests and several new pets. Furthermore the new ranking systems of “Beyond the Horizon” will appeal to those players who always wanted to know who are the strongest guilds, the best land-lubbing fighters, the best fishermen or the wealthiest players overall!

Bounty bay Online is available free of charge. Download and register at www.bountybayonline.com

About Bounty Bay Online
With Bounty Bay Online players enter the Age of Discoveries from the 15th to the 17th century. MMO fans are able to choose an online career as a merchant, sailor, fisherman, pirate or adventurer and make their fortune at land and on the seven seas. Alone or with a guild of players, many adventures and gripping quests lie on their way. Thousands of ancient discoveries on all continents like the pyramids of Gizah or the Chinese Wall are waiting to be explored. After exciting PvP combat at land and on the seas, strong guilds can take control of colonies and cities and decide upon their destiny. Bounty Bay Online features a unique trade system based on supply and demand. In April 2008 Frogster has started a free-to-play server with an integrated item shop as an alternative to the subscription model, so that new sailors can now roam the Seven Seas without any fixed costs. More information is available on www.bountybayonline.com.

Features

• Hundreds of authentic ship models
• Land and sea combat
• More than 60 realistic towns and harbours.
• Guilds can conquer towns and decide upon their taxes and tariffs
• Free add-on „Storm Island“ with new items, new features and new regions included
• Free Colony Add-on released in January 2009

GamesCom, the new industry show for computer and video games in Cologne marks a fresh start for Kalypso Media with a first and significant presence on the convention's show floor. The vast Tropico 3 themed booth sports an atmospheric beach design and will allow visitors to play the highly anticipated successor to the cult game for the first time exclusively.



Why not come and visit us in Hall 6.1, Booth C054 and put yourself in El Presidente's shoes and relax in our custom-built beach chairs.

Kalypso will also be present in the GamesCom Business Centre, combining the Kalypso branches Germany, UK and USA. Here, we will showcase not only Tropico 3 but also reveal a new and exciting exclusive title currently under development by Kalypso's internal development team Realmforge Studios in Munich.



Furthermore, Daniel Dumont and Kay Struve from Kalypso's Gaming Minds development studio in Gütersloh will be standing up to questions regarding their latest project, the new Patrician game scheduled for release in summer 2010.



You can find Kalypso in Hall 4.1, Booth E025/F024 in the Business Centre.

Tracks from KISS and Lenny Kravitz added to the Rock Band Music Store for Nintendo Wii and songs from Iron Maiden for Rock Band Unplugged!

Harmonix and MTV Games today announced a three pack of songs from Gorillaz, the virtual band created by Blur’s Damon Albarn, including songs from Demon Days and the band’s self-titled release; as well as four singles from legendary classic rock artists The Band, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and The Who.

All tracks, which mark the first time these artists other than The Who have appeared in Rock Band, will be available in the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content next week for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system.

Additional tracks from KISS, Blink-182, Weezer, Lenny Kravitz and more will be available in the Nintendo Wii Rock Band Music Store next week, and tracks from Iron Maiden will be available for Rock Band Unplugged.

Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 Systems
The eclectic Gorillaz make their Rock Band premiere with fan-favorites “Clint Eastwood,” “Feel Good Inc.” and “Re-Hash” in the Rock Band Music Store Aug. 11. Iconic classic rock artists The Band, Janis Joplin and Jefferson Airplane also make their Rock Band debuts with the respective songs “Chest Fever,” “Piece of My Heart” and “White Rabbit.” “Magic Bus” by rock superstars The Who will also be added to the Rock Band Music Store next week.

Tracks available on Xbox 360 (Aug. 11) and PLAYSTATION 3 system (Aug. 13):

The Band “Chest Fever (LIVE)”
Gorillaz “Clint Eastwood”
Gorillaz “Feel Good Inc.”
Gorillaz “Re-Hash”
Janis Joplin “Piece of My Heart”
Jefferson Airplane “White Rabbit”
The Who “Magic Bus (Live at Leeds)”

(All tracks are original master recordings)

These tracks will be available for purchase as part of the “Gorillaz Pack 01” or as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 systems.

Price: $1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track
$5.49, £2.49 UK, €3.99 EU (440 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Gorillaz Pack 01”




Wii Back-Catalog Additions
Additionally, tracks from Blink-182, Damone, KISS and Weezer, as well as back-catalog tracks from Fratellis, Pat Benatar, Steve Miller Band and Thin Lizzy will be available Aug. 11 in the Nintendo Wii Rock Band Music Store. These tracks come from the catalog of Rock Band music already released to owners of Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system. With the addition of these tracks, there are now more than 575 tracks in the Wii Rock Band Music Store.

Additional tracks available for Wii (Aug. 11):

Blink-182 “Dammit”
Blink-182 “Down”
Blink-182 “Feeling This”
Blink-182 “The Rock Show”
Damone “Out Here All Night”
Fratellis “Creeping Up the Backstairs”
Fratellis “Flathead”
Fratellis “Henrietta”
KISS “100,000 Years (LIVE)”
KISS “Deuce (LIVE)”
KISS “Parasite (LIVE)”
Lenny Kravitz “Are You Gonna Go My Way”
Lenny Kravitz “Freedom Train”
Lenny Kravitz “Let Love Rule”
Lenny Kravitz “Mr Cab Driver”
Pat Benatar “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”
Steve Miller Band “Space Cowboy”
Steve Miller Band “Take The Money & Run”
Steve Miller Band “The Joker”
Thin Lizzy “The Boys Are Back in Town (LIVE)”
Thin Lizzy “Cowboy Song (LIVE)”
Thin Lizzy “Jailbreak (LIVE)”
Weezer “My Name is Jonas”
Weezer “Pork & Beans”
Weezer “Undone – The Sweater Song”

Price: $2.00 (200 Wii Points) per track

Rock Band Unplugged Tracks for PSP System
Rock Band Unplugged fans will enjoy the addition of Iron Maiden’s “The Number of the Beast” and “The Trooper” to the 27 tracks already available via the Rock Band Unplugged in-game music store for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system.

Tracks available for Rock Band Unplugged (Aug. 13):

Iron Maiden “The Number of the Beast”
Iron Maiden “The Trooper”

Price: $1.99, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU per track on the PSP system

Spyborgs, Capcom’s hottest new thrill ride will be coming exclusively for the Nintendo Wii this year. Combining an extraordinary sci-fi world with action packed 2-player co-op, this original IP is a must-have Nintendo Wii title for action fans.



A cybernetically-enhanced group of super heroes is set-up to die by a former team member they trusted. When players take control of the weapon-enhanced cyborgs in their pursuit of the traitor, they will come together in 2-player co-op to face over 35 stages of mind-blowing challenges packed with epic boss battles and swarms of enemies that only a team of two can defeat!



In Spyborgs, players select two of the three Spyborg characters and use the motion-based Wii-remote to shoot, slash and pummel their way through hordes of mechanized enemies. With an in-depth 2-player co-op system, players will be able to strategically jump back and forth from one member of the team to the other, rapidly tackling different challenges with their unique abilities.

Players can also experience the frenetic fun with a friend in co-op, which opens up access to stylized co-op finishing moves. This advanced co-op system utilizing the Wii-remote motion control delivers an unparalled, highly interactive gameplay experience perfectly suited for Wii action fans. Spyborgs provides players with a dynamic and fresh approach to beat-em-up, brawler gameplay.

Using the most advanced technology on the Wii, Spyborgs is being developed by Bionic Games, a newly-formed development team comprised of former Insomniac Games and High Impact Games developers (known for their work on hugely popular franchises Ratchet and Clank and Resistance: Fall of Man).

Features:

• Stunning Graphics: Pushing the graphics capabilities of the Wii, Spyborgs will offer a variety of vibrant environments and detailed character models alongside action-packed gameplay.

• Extreme Co-Op: Designed around the 2-player co-op experience whether playing alone or with friends, single players can jump seamlessly between characters at any time to take advantage of their unique weapons and skills while friends can tag-team it to create crazy combos and finisher moves for the ultimate brawl.

• Brawler-style Gameplay: Action-packed, intuitive gameplay for all skill-levels.

• Robust combo system to master: Multiple character specific combos allow players to chain light and heavy attacks to increase their Combo/Power meters and unleash devastating “Finisher” moves and “Co-Op Finisher” moves.

• Upgradeable Attack System: Power-up by collecting “crimson spark” currency from defeated enemies and destructible environments to purchase upgrades.

• Instant Character Swap: Users can instantly switch between two characters mid-combat to utilize each character’s strengths.

• Cinematic Boss Battles: Epic, action-packed and absolutely thrilling battles featuring full-screen, dynamic and wickedly challenging bosses.

• Robust Achievement system: Similar to Xbox 360 and PlayStation Network, players are rewarded with an Achievement Title signifying their accomplishment. Taking it one step further, these Achievements also unlock bonus videos, concept art and new challenges in the game.

One of today's most popular Free2Play online game destinations, announces a new map called Skill Pointer and three new vehicles for War Rock. Along with this new update there will be a 25% experience boost for the weekend. (http://warrock.gamersfirst.com/index.php)

Amongst a plenty of new updates is the brand new Skill Pointer map. Skill Pointer is a Conquest Mode map that focuses heavily on vehicle combat. Players on Skill Pointer will have ten seconds of invulnerability to get into a vehicle before fighting to control the neutral base and protect their home base.

Skill pointer will feature three tanks for you to choose from: M109, Japan 90 (J90) and M1A2. J90 uses modular ceramic and steel composite armor. Mounted with 120 mm smoothbore cannon, the J90 packs a powerful punch. M1A2, the other new tank, is equipped with a 7.62 mm machine gun and a 120 mm M256 smoothbore cannon, making this large tank a sturdy opponent. Both, model J90 and M1A2, will only be available on the Skill Pointer map.

"We're excited to release this new update to War Rock" said Chuck Leonard, Assistant Producer, GamersFirst. "The community has asked us for a massive scale player battlefield and I believe we have delivered that request with Skill Pointer".

War Rock is a tactical, modern FPS (First Person Shooter) exploding with intense, fast-paced combat. Armed with the world's deadliest weapons and controlling the most lethal vehicles, players attack three story-driven killer game play modes: In the air, on the land and over the sea. The game is free to download and Free2Play so players can get right into "pwning" other players from around the world.

The wait is almost over. The curtain of defeat covers Poland, France and the rest of Europe. In the East, the German war machine prepares to launch the greatest military campaign ever to be seen. Asia seems destined for the same fate! The charge of the Axis continues until victory over their foes, seems but a mere breath away.

Only the defender of freedom and liberty - the United States of America can help stave off defeat. For the fightback begins now.... in North Africa, upon and below the seas of the Pacific Ocean and across the breadth of the Soviet Union.

The nature of war has changed. Can you recreate the course of history, or change it?

Temper those hearts of iron. Let loose the dogs of war. Demand nothing but total commitment. For the price is - Victory at all costs!

The majority of sales undertaken via the App Store are for games, while Android users are buying more tools and applications, according to research carried out by app store analytics company Distimo.

Studying the top 15 applications purchased for the iPhone, the report found nine of them were games, while not one game made the Android top 15. On the flipside, not one productivity or utilities app appeared in Apple's top 15.

This pattern continued when comparing the most popular free applications for the two hardware types, where games made up a third of the iPhone's most popular downloads and none of Android's.

Despite an obvious bias towards gaming on the App Store however, Apple's strict vetting process and policy of not allowing emulators on the device could be seen to be harming its sales.

"Classic games on Android Market are more popular than in the Apple App Store, with even three out of the 15 most popular games for Android being emulators," the report said. "These types of emulators are not allowed in the Apple App Store."

A recent example of this ban saw a C64 emulator being banned from the App Store but allowed for release on Android, despite it being legally licensed, according to a TouchArcade report.

Source: GamesIndustry

Exclusive - pre-order bonus for Bioshock 2. Whilst this seems to be fairly irrelevant, the bonus itself proves to be rather interesting. Pre-ordering the title, which fairly recently suffered a release date setback, will bag purchasers two exclusive Bioshock 2 multiplayer characters.

The two characters have been revealed as Zigo, a fisherman, and Blanche, an actress, two characters which players are likely to come across within the game’s single player campaign. A post on 2k forums shows (incredibly small) images of the promotion, as well as the first images of the characters. Both characters appeared in the Bioshock 2 gamer picture pack, which released last month for 80 Microsoft Points.

The news comes after the Bioshock 2 beach campaign finished earlier today, proving to be a slight disappointment. The items that washed up on the shores turned out to be glass bottles from Worley Winery, a location in Arcadia, Rapture. Each bottle contained a poster, relating to the just a few of the game’s plasmids.

Source: ConsoleMonster

Digital toy factory Denki is hosting the world exclusive preview of Quarrel, the company’s new Xbox Live Arcade game, at the 2009 Dare to be Digital ProtoPlay event in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Visitors will be able to play Quarrel, talk to the team behind the game and – get this – actually influence what goes into the game in the last few months of development. That’s right – you get the chance to tell Denki which bits of Quarrel you like and which bits need more magic Denki dust.



ProtoPlay is entirely free of charge and part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (the real, official one). It takes place at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on August 14th, 15th and 16th. All fourteen of the Dare to be Digital teams (lovingly mentored by Denki, among others) will be there to show off their games.

It’s basically a great big building, full of free games to play. What more do you want?

ProtoPlay is the public face of the astonishingly awesome Dare to be Digital competition, which is the world’s best (and only) competition, which challenges teams of students to build original new games in just ten weeks. In Dundee. In the summer holidays.

Think the World Cup or Wimbledon, but for videogames. That’s Dare. You really do need to visit.

If you’re anywhere near central Scotland come along. All visiting comedians, theatre troupes, journalists, dignitaries, MSPs, geeks, families, kids, coach parties, parents, OAPs, trapeze acts and wandering royalty are more than welcome.

In addition to showing off Quarrel many months before it launches, there are strong rumours Denki will hand out freebies, giveaways and other good stuff to players who are especially helpful, interesting, good-looking or who actually beat us at our own game!

You can find out more about Denki and Quarrel at www.denki.co.uk. Read more about Dare to be Digital and ProtoPlay at www.daretobedigital.com

See you in Edinburgh!

Today Cyanide and Focus Home Interactive are pleased to unveil the 3rd video of the series of trailers showcasing the game’s races!

We are presenting today the agile Wood Elves! Wood Elves are extremely agile and fast, and favour passing and running tactics over a brutal blocking game. They are very fragile and won’t survive a very brutal game for long, but they very nimble and as the saying goes: it takes a very agile or lucky opponent to lay a hand on a Wood Elf!

An ultra-violent strategy game based on Warhammer Fantasy and American football, Blood Bowl allows players to create the ultimate “fantasy” sports teams. Coaches can build bone-crushing teams of Orcs, Wood Elves, Humans, Dwarfs and many more fantastic creatures – then throw them into the stadium for the ultimate blood sport! Blood Bowl is strategic, action-packed and violent, requiring coaches to use their best tactics, team design – and a dose of pure ruthless bloodlust always helps too!

All of these charming creatures are waiting for you to play in highly contested games soon on PC, Xbox 360 and handheld consoles.

Playlogic, an independent worldwide publisher of entertainment software, is pleased to announce that Infernal Hell’s Vengeance will be released in Japan for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

Playlogic recently signed a deal with Zoo Corporation and Russell Corporation who will publish the game in Japan.

Rogier Smit, VP of Playlogic said: “We are thrilled that our first Xbox 360 game will be released in Japan, which proves that its story and gameplay mechanics are globally appealing. We are confident in our cooperation with Zoo and Russell to successfully bring Infernal Hell’s Vengeance to the Japanese market.”

Tatsuya Yonekawa, President of Russell Corporation said: "We are very excited to bring Infernal to Japanese gamers. They will enjoy a new entry of a quality Xbox 360 game like Infernal and we are proud to make that happen."

About Infernal Hell’s Vengeance
Former Etherlite Secret Agent Ryan Lennox, now obsolete and betrayed by those close to him is a man who knows no fear! In a desperate bid to uncover his former employers secret agenda Lennox makes a pact with the devil. Embarking on an action-packed voyage into a world of deception and betrayal, armed with special abilities and military grade weaponry, Ryan Lennox is a man who must succeed.

Lennox will need to master his devilish powers to uncover the truth and restore the delicate balance of good and evil. The captivating plot sees Lennox journey from ancient monastery catacombs and secret mountain hideouts to sprawling harbor docks and industrial oil refineries, before finally facing his ultimate showdown...

Infernal uses a state-of-the-art Physics engine enabling highly interactive worlds with destroyable walls and objects, while giving the player the ability to use a vast array of weapons. This is supported by using high level graphics and a stunning overall design based on locations throughout Europe and the USA.

Features:

* Stunning 3rd Person Shooter with deep & engaging storyline
* Explore a range of stunning environments & locations across 3 levels of difficulty
* Over 10 hours of gamezplay
* Control a variety of guns and weapons as well as supernatural forces to increase their power
* Engange in Hand to Hand combat, or utilize a range of weaponry
* Duck and cover system to avoid enemy attacks
* Fight intelligent opponents who use the environment to their advantage
* Utilize a vast array of supernatural powers such as telekinesis & teleportation to overcome obstacles and enemies
* Harvest the energy of your enemies to heal and to replenish your Infernal mana


Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

For the second time, Audiomotion has been commissioned by Konami to provide motion capture services for their flagship title PES 2010.
The mocap session took place in the centre of Barcelona on the 29th May, just 48 hrs after the UEFA Champions League Cup Final with Manchester United.
During this time Audiomotion set up a portable rig of 50 cameras creating a 15x10 metre capture volume. Selected journalists were then able to view the 3D Messi character driven by the real-time motion capture data from Lionel Messi himself.

After the Champions League Final celebrations in Rome and the victory parade through the streets of Barcelona, finishing at the ‘Nou Camp’ stadium the night before the session, Messi arrived fresh and demonstrated his amazing speed, agility and ball control. The session was completed successfully with the worlds press witnessing a full on realtime mocap session along with individual interviews throughout the day.

PES 2010 is due out in the autumn on PlayStation 3, PS2, Xbox 360, and PSP.

Scott Garrod, Konami's European Licensing Manager said: "The Audiomotion crew were fantastic, everything ran very smoothly and we were very impressed with the setup."

Mick Morris, Audiomotions MD stated: "It's been an honour to be commissioned by Konami for this session in Barcelona – and it was especially exciting to work with the incredibly talented Lionel Messi. Location shoots are always challenging but our studio crew stepped up to the mark and, as always, delivered."

Clocking well over 35 million online plays and downloads since its initial launch in 2005, the puzzle phenomenon Tumblebugs is making its way to iPhone and iPod Touch consoles, courtesy of Dundee-based developer Tag Games and Manchester-based publisher Connect2Media. The collaboration will see a revamped version of Wildfire Studios’ original title, developed exclusively for Apple devices and launching on iTunes in August.

Developed by Tag Games, who recently scored a massive App Store hit with critically acclaimed crime simulator Car Jack Streets, Tumblebugs is an addictive puzzle game for all ages. When the evil ‘Black Bug Empire’ takes over the insect world and starts marching lines of friendly bugs underground to be enslaved forever, it’s up to you to save the day.

Players must launch vividly coloured bugs at the never-ending line of prisoners, lining up three or bugs of the same colour to free them from their captors. It wont be easy however, with rapidly increasing lines and a string of baddies out to gum up the works. Can you be the hero the insect kingdom needs?



The game features slick controls and accessible play style; Simply aim and fire to rack up high scores and advance to the next stage. Power-ups add much depth to the game as you blast your way through 78 challenging stages set across two different gamezplay modes. With crisp, colourful graphics and a superb art style, Tumblebugs is one of the slickest and engrossing puzzle games available on handheld consoles today.

Key Features:
*78 challenging levels with stunningly vivid graphics
*Two compulsive gameplay modes that are easy to pick up but hard to put down
*Amazing power-ups, dastardly baddies and heroic deeds make this a garden-based epic
*Based on the number one web game played by over 35 million people to date

Early review builds and assets for Tumblebugs iPhone and iPod Touch are available now on request. Please get in touch with Ink Media to arrange distribution.

As a technology demo, Electronic Arts worked with Dynamic Digital Depth (DDD) to give a flawless glimpse of what their upcoming award-winning title, Need For Speed SHIFT, will look like when played with stereoscopic 3D drivers. Other technology demos included Cryteks CryEngine3 running in S-3D with native support, and a showing of Blitz Games Studios Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao, arguably the first console game to support modern stereoscopic 3D technologies. To add to the fun, all demos were presented on a huge RealD projection screen as part of SIGGRAPHs Computer and Animation Festival.

According to the U-DECIDE Initiative, a well received study of modern gamers, 93% of survey respondents want to see game developers support stereoscopic 3D technology. The industrys answer is to start development of The S-3D Gaming Alliance, an organization that is 100% focused on making stereoscopic 3D gaming possible through standards, education, and product adoption.

Some of S3DGAs founding companies include Blitz Games Studios, DDD, iZ3D, Jon Peddie Research, TDVision Corp, XpanD, and more. The President and CEO of S3DGA will be Neil Schneider, best known for his pioneering work on Meant to be Seen (www.mtbs3D.com), the worlds leading website focused on stereoscopic 3D gaming and entertainment.

I personally love to game in stereoscopic 3D, and its about time this became a mass market technology. We have a great team of expert companies, and with additional industry support, yes - S3DGA is going to make this happen, said Neil Schneider.

High immersion S-3D gaming experiences include explosions that pop out of the screen and a sense of depth so real that players think they can place their hands inside the display. S-3D technology is growing popular in the home with products like LCD shutter glasses, 3D monitors, and several new and developing 3D HDTV and projection solutions.

Neil Schneider, via MTBS, has done a great job of supporting the rapidly-growing S-3D market. There are some amazing creative opportunities in this new field and having the support of a community such as his is a powerful resource for anyone working in this area. We are therefore happy to support and encourage his ongoing work with the newly-formed S3DGA and look forward to its success, said Andrew Oliver, Co-Founder of Blitz Games Studios.

MTBS, and now S3DGA, works with our early adopters, and while other organizations may claim to be able to speak to gaming, Neil and his group actually take the time to play the games. XpanD is very interested in participating in the S-3D Gaming Alliance's next steps, said Ami Dror, Chief Strategist for XpanD.

The effect of a standards group such as S3DGA is to accelerate the adoption of technology by presenting a forum for members to express, test, and agree on ideas and approaches to educating consumers.

Stereovision (S-3D) gaming is here, said Dr. Jon Peddie of Jon Peddie Research (JPR) It is affordable, accessible, and playable, and is in need of a consolidating agency to be the clearing- house for ideas, standards, products, and consumer education. S3DGA is the alliance that has answered that call. We will be working with them to help drive this forward."

Getting Started in 3D Gaming
An introductory S3DGA meeting will be held during the 3D Entertainment Summit. Founded by Bob Dowling, Former Editor in Chief of the Hollywood Reporter, this conference is considered the largest of its type, and features industry leading names including: James Cameron, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and countless more. S3DGA meeting attendees qualify for a 25% discount on summit registration when they use the S3DGA discount code. Attendance will be confirmed.

"I am overwhelmed by the progress made in the last year in the 3D gaming world, and we are excited to be part of the next logical step by helping launch the S-3D Gaming Alliance at this year's 3D Entertainment Summit" said Bob Dowling, 3D Entertainment Summit Founder.

To help interested organizations get started in S-3D, S3DGA is making available the extensive U-DECIDE Initiative Report at a discounted price of $995 USD. For organizations that also join S3DGA, the price of the report will be credited against the organizations membership fees. AMD, Blitz Games Studios, Guild Software, iZ3D, Meant to be Seen, and The Game Creators, made U-DECIDE possible.

The S-3D Gaming Alliance, S3DGA, is a 3D gaming and entertainment industry standards and advocacy group charted to accelerate the adoption of 3D gaming and display technology by providing for standards discussions, consumer promotion, education, and awareness. Membership is comprised of organizations and individuals with an interest in developing 3D solutions.

Incubator Games is proud to announce Tribes of Mexica, an action-puzzle game set in the mythical world of the Aztecs. Tribes of Mexica is currently in development for the Xbox 360 and is an entry in the Dream Build Play contest.

TOMY introduces NARUTO Shippuden: Ninja Destiny 2, the latest installment to the popular 3D pocket fighting series, Ninja Destiny. Exclusively on the Nintendo DS, NARUTO Shippuden: Ninja Destiny 2 features more new Shippuden content than any other NARUTO video game in 2009. With 34 playable characters, this year’s roster has seen an extreme upgrade, complete with all new attacks and cinematic jutsu moves.

With the reworked Story Mode, new Quest Mode and wireless multiplayer battles, Ninja
Destiny 2 puts the emphasis on action as players battle in head to head matches with
Naruto and his friends.

KEY FEATURES:

• The next title in the hit Ninja Destiny 3D fighting series, going further in the
  
NARUTO Shippuden storyline than any other Naruto game

• 34 playable characters, from both classic and Shippuden Naruto story arcs, each
  with upgraded 3D character models and unique special abilities
  
• Featuring enhanced 3D graphics for 2009 creating a visually impressive “pocket
  fighter” for the Nintendo DS
  
• Alongside the all‐new Story mode, Versus mode and Wireless mode, Ninja Destiny
  2 also features an all‐new Quest mode, with a multitude of unlockable content
  
• Wireless multiplayer gameplay functionality for up to 2‐players
  
• Including enhanced fighting gameplay mechanics for all aspiring ninjas

cdv Software have released several new screenshots for Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter for PC. The new screens, available at the link below, showcase the game’s fantastic HD graphics engine, and a few of the classic weapons that have made Serious Sam a force to be reckoned with!



Originally released in 2001, Serious Sam won numerous accolades including Game of the Year on Gamespot and Editor's Choice on IGN. Developed on Croteam's proprietary Serious Engine 3; Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter stays true to the source material, as our hero takes on Lord Mental's forces across a variety of battlegrounds set in various ancient civilizations. The gameplay remains as intense as ever and the humor intact, all this in glorious high definition!

Leading Eastern and Central European publisher, 1C Company and Aspyr Media announced today that Death to Spies: Moment of Truth is available now in North America via digital download. The game can be downloaded from Aspyr's Gameagent.com site and other popular digital distribution platforms. Death to Spies: Moment of Truth will be available DRM-free at North American retail outlets on August 18.

Death to Spies: Moment of Truth is a sequel to the popular stealth action title Death to Spies. The game's main character is Semion Strogov, a captain in the 4th department of the Soviet counterintelligence service called SMERSH. SMERSH, a Russian acronym that means "Death to Spies", was the name of a set of Soviet military counterintelligence departments that were formed during World War II. Strogov is back from his previous missions and must now participate in a series of even more complex and exciting military operations.

Death to Spies: Moment of Truth is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

A new web site dedicated to the game has been recently launched. For more information, new screenshots, video and game demo please visit www.death2spies.com

Domestic sales of the DSi reached 3,062,920 units as of August 2, according to new Enterbrain figures.

The updated console launched in Japan on November 1 2008, meaning the milestone has been reached in the space of just nine months, reports Famitsu.

Nintendo's latest quarterly financial results, released last week, showed that worldwide DSi sales for the three months ending June 30 had totalled 3.65 million.

Worldwide, the system, which launched outside of Japan in April 2009, has sold 6.68 million units to date, confirmed the company.

Source: GamesIndustry

Sony Computer Entertainment rainbow of PSP (PlayStationPortable) colours is about to grow further with a brand-new, very special model: a Lilac Purple PSP-3000 that will come packed with top game Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show for A-list pop star entertainment straight out of the box. Arriving this October in PAL territories, the Lilac Purple model brings a girly touch to the current wardrobe of PSP-3000 colours that also includes Vibrant Blue, Mystic Silver, Pearl White and Radiant Red as well as the classic Piano Black.

“As girls spend as much time listening to music, taking and editing photos, watching movies, chatting with Skype, surfing the net and playing games with their friends as boys do,” says Isabelle Tomatis, European Marketing Manager, SCEE: “we thought it was about time that they had their own colour of PSP – and we’ve styled this one up just for them.”

In the first ever Hannah Montana game for PSP, fans will not only star in the show, they will also design a custom concert in each city they visit and rock the stage as they perform as Hannah Montana to 11 hit songs, including three new tracks. Jackson and Lilly join in on the fun in Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show PSP game to help Hannah on her tour as they travel to seven amazing locations around the world and customise outfits, design stages and so much more. Players will add their flair to performances by creating unique routines for each song with the “Rockstar Moment” maker by customising dance moves, lighting and special effects. Players will also be able to style the band members and the back-up dancers with amazing fashions, hair-styles and accessories. – and the whole pack also comes with a Memory Stick™ for players to save their designs and settings onto.

But playing Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show is just one possibility with this PSP. With games, music, videos, online chat and photos to explore, this is a device that will make girls the envy of their friends.

SouthPeak Games has today announced their upcoming title Raven Squad has achieved gold status and will be shipping later this month. Coming to the Xbox 360 and PC, Raven Squad combines Real Time Strategy and intense First Person Shooting with a flare akin to the iconic 80’s action flicks that inspired an entire generation to create a genre all it’s own.

Combining two distinct genres of gameplay, Raven Squad allows players to choose how they want to approach each mission, with the options to play through entirely in RTS, FPS or a mixture of the two modes. Using two squads of three, players will help Raven Squad work their way through the Amazonian jungles in an effort to put down a rebel group attempting to overthrow the Brazilian government. Vicious shootouts, hostage situations, peasant persecution and vehicle chases offer players a myriad of exciting interludes throughout the 12 level campaign. Oh, and did we mention it’s fully cooperative both online and local via system link? Well, it sure is hoss.

Raven Squad is ready to explode your face and grill your burritos on August 20, 2009.

You think you can handle it?

The war rages on with intense fury for one of the most-popular online multiplayer games, as Activision Publishing, Inc. and developer Treyarch announced today that Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3 is now available for download on Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3 includes three new multiplayer maps and one Zombie map:



* Battery: An armoured island surrounded by anti-ship mines and shore-to-ship cannons, “Battery” places soldiers on a mid-sized map based on Fort Drum (El Fraile Island) in the Philippines. Players will have plenty of areas to hide and a steady flow of close quarters combat!

* Revolution: “Revolution” pits soldiers against each other in a large factory set in Russia's cold city streets. Keep your trigger finger primed, your gun loaded, and your head low through this sniper-friendly territory!

* Breach: Overwhelm the enemy in “Breach,” set in Berlin's crowded city streets surrounding the historic Brandenburg Gate. Only the finest soldiers will survive in this fast-paced, dense battlefield!

* Der Riese (Zombie Factory): The undead horde approaches! Fight for your life in “Der Riese” (translated: “The Giant”), an all-new Zombie map set in a secret Nazi research facility featuring the Pack A Punch Machine, a device capable of upgrading weapons at the touch of a button. Use the teleporters to escape the vicious Hell Hounds and pray that the powerful Wunderwaffe DG-2 will appear before it's too late. This map includes 10 new Xbox 360 Achievements/PS3 Trophies.

Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3 is currently available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 800 Microsoft Points and on the PlayStationStore for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system for £7.99.

Call of Duty: World at War is rated 15 by the BBFC.

Super tackle: Take the ball off your opponent's toes in a blink of an eye with this lightning-fast slide tackle.

Helix Kick: Bamboozle the goalie with this insane corkscrew shot.

Banana Kick: Put extreme bend on the ball - the keeper won't know which way to turn.

Chopper: A spinning tackle frenzy that will send anyone in your path flying - including your own teammates!

Unstoppable Rush: Release that pent up aggression by knocking over anyone that gets in your way as you charge towards goal.

Cat-like Grace: Glide through tackles and defense like a knife through butter.

Stealth Attack: When Sam Fisher turns on his night-vision goggles nobody can see him - ideal for getting through on goal undetected.

Eagle Strike: Altair's assassin training helps him to launch into the air and unleash a lethal strike that will take out the keeper before it hits the back on the net.

Acrobatic Leap: Why go through the defence when you can just leap over it? The other team won't expect that!

Plunger Shot: The Rabbid weapon of choice makes for a very potent shot at goal.

Photo Fanatic: Jade will use the flash of her camera to temporarily stun her opponents and make them lose the ball.

Perfect Dribble: Opponents will be stunned by Pele's unbelievable ball skills rendering them unable to stop him.

Bicycle Smash: Mia Hamm's stunning backflip bicycle kick makes her one of the best strikers around.

Speed Burst: An explosion of pace that will help you catch up to opponents.

Dodge Move: Jump over or go around players quickly with these cool and easy to use tricks.

Paradox Interactive have today released a Hearts of Iron III podcast which reveals unknown insights behind the long awaited third installment of the best selling and critically acclaimed World War II Strategy series.

Exploring the roles of some of the key personnel involved with the development of Hearts of Iron III, the podcast features interviews with Johan Andersson – Producer, Chris King – Game designer, and Anna Drevendal – Historical Researcher.

Listen to the podcast: http://www.gameindustry.com/podcast/item.asp?id=27
Download the clip from Paradox: http://www.paradoxplaza.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=566&Itemid=129

About Hearts of Iron 3
Set to release in stores in North America and via all major digital download portals on August 7th, the game was recently awarded the Readers Choice “Best of E3 – PC Strategy” on Voodoo Extreme, along with being nominated for the “Best of E3 – PC Strategy” on IGN and Gaming Excellence. Releases in Europe will follow on August 14th (UK, Scandinavia) and August 28th (France and Germany).

* Players can register their games via the in-game menu or “My Games” on http://forum.paradoxplaza.com.

Up high, hidden in the tree-tops of the rainforest, the Elves once erected their settlements in the Savage Lands. Now Frogster reveals the secrets of this new zone that will make its debut with the launch of Chapter II - The Elven Prophecy of award-winning MMORPG Runes of Magic.

Situated north-west of the Weeping Coast lies the bastion of the elves. The peaceful atmosphere of the thick forest might be deluding to hapless adventurers, making their way into the woods. But here they have to face the Apeman and worse of all the Naga, who broke through the defensive barriers in the west and started building defensive outposts to secure their supply lines.

Further away, adventurers will come across a small camp: The Fungus Village. Innocuous at the first glance, the Fungus-King and his guards will defend their lands ferociously against any intruder. Player will be able to explore the Savage Lands during the final launch phase of the second chapter in September. With the raise of the level-cap in August, the adventure starts for all characters level 52 and above.

More information can be found on the official Runes of Magic Website: www.runesofmagic.com

Runes of Magic a world full of wizardry and adventure
The German and English versions of Runes of Magic were released on 19 March 2009. Anyone can download the online role-playing game for free at: www.runesofmagic.com and can plunge into the game world after a short registration process.

With an extensive range of features, Runes of Magic is redefining the standard for free-to-play massively multiplayer online role playing games. Runes of Magic features an absorbing story through more than 1,600 quests, in a vibrant fantasy world. Players can choose from six main classes, combined with a secondary class, presenting 30 individual combinations of character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts like war horses and more.

A particularly attractive feature is the ability for players and guilds to arrange and furnish their virtual homes. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, exciting PvP and demanding dungeons and boss monsters, there is something for everyone.

Taiwanese developer Runewaker developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards over three years. The studio is providing new challenges for players every four to five months with free add-ons and updates. You can find more information, pictures, videos, and the game available for free download via the official website: www.runesofmagic.com.

Features
Free-to-play: no monthly fees, free download
Extensive dual class system (six primary and secondary classes)
Versatile spell and attack combinations
Enthralling background story
More than 1,600 quests and quest series
No zone boundaries thanks to seamless architecture
Dungeons: Instanced, tile based, and persistent
Individually developable skills and spells
Armour sets with special bonuses
Dynamic item system with hundreds of runes for upgrading
Optional PvP system with arena battles
Ranking system with player-ranking lists
Multitude of unique mounts
Epic crafting system with the ability to improve existing items
Personalization of player houses through individual furnishing
Reputation system
Customisable user interface with the option to use Add-Ons
Map and radar system to easily find dealers, resources and quests
In-game auction houses for trading items
Teleport-Runes for instant travel
Mouse and keyboard controls for movement
Regular updates with new content
Guild castles in special zones
Cross-server fights in three-server-battle and guild wars in development

Facts
Title: Runes of Magic
Genre: Fantasy MMORPG
Platform: Windows PC
Publisher: Frogster Online Gaming
Developer: Runewaker Entertainment Ltd.
Release: 19 March 2009
PEGI: 12+

505 Games and Bohemia Interactive havereleased a new patch for ArmA II, the PC military shooter smash hit of 2009. The patch 1.03 is available to download now from www.arma2.com and will solve and improve/balance the following in-game issues:

* Major AI tweaking and balancing (especially AI infantry aural detection sensitivity lowered significantly)
* Improved multiplayer and cooperative campaign (saving games, connection issues)
* Numerous fixes and improvements in the Harvest Red campaign

Engine:

* New: Functions getPosATL and setPosATL to allow controlling position relative to terrain.
* New: command line option -showScriptErrors introduced to show errors in scripts on-screen
* New: Direct analogue throttle and brake for airplanes now available.
* New: More flexible configuration of Flares in the config (brightness, size)
* New: Mission name (with * indicated unsaved work) displayed in the mission editor
* New: Keyboard shortcuts in the mission editor
* Improved: Better airplane HUD visibility both night and day
* Optimization: Reduced frame stutter near map borders.
* Fixed: Rainbow is visible even with sun below horizon.
* Fixed: 3D Editor - civilian and resistance units did not work correctly
* Fixed: Sea surface was not rendered in NE area out of map.
* Fixed: Terrain surface was sometimes using wrong parallax map.
* Fixed: Grenade could sometimes destroy a building just by impact
* Fixed: Radio messages sometimes echoed
* Fixed: Team switch did not work when player died
* Fixed: Reduced AI detecting slowly moving enemy vehicles by ear.
* Fixed: Prevent killed AI units reporting who killed them.
* Fixed: After respawn in MP, player's tasks, diary content and skills are transferred to the new entity
* Fixed: Leaning 'limits' did not work with TrackIR
* Fixed: MP client frozen in Receiving... screen sometimes
* Fixed: Problems with saving and loading games in cooperative campaign

Missions:

* Fixes and improvements in most of the campaign missions (Into the Storm, Harvest Red, Bitter Chill, Manhattan, Badlands, Dogs of War)
* Improved: autosave logic to not save when it was not safe
* Improved: Eye for an Eye in Scenarios

Data:

* Fixed: various minor problems on buildings
* Fixed: rocks destruction effect changed
* Fixed: penetrability of some vegetation
* Fixed: collision geometry of A_BuildingWIP
* Fixed: react FSM core conversations
* Fixed: cargo animations in LAV25
* Fixed: indicators in Ka52 when using NVG
* Fixed: cargo animations in BTR
* Fixed: Warfare keypoint on Chernarus

System requirements:

* ANY ORIGINAL VERSION OF ARMA 2 from 1.00 to 1.02 other than Steam version, Steam users should use auto updating feature instead (their game will not be playable if they applied this patch until they recover it again from Steam)

* DirectX 9 March 2009 is required and should be updated during the patching process automatically as needed or you can update your version of DirectX from www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/

ArmA II is available now exclusively for PC.

More information on the multiplayer modes available in forthcoming World War II flight combat title, IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey. As well as boasting over 50 single player missions, the multiplayer experience featured in IL-2 delivers even more thrilling aerial combat action. IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey will be available from 4th September for Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo DS and PSP. Download free demo now on Xbox Live

The official website (www.il2game.com) now hosts the new multiplayer trailer where allied and axis forces go head to head in ferocious aerial dog fights and bombing raids over war torn Europe. Also featured is an exclusive community update from Pavel Kulikov, Game Designer of the multiplayer modes and maps at Gaijin Entertainment in which he shares some behind the scenes stories from the making of IL-2 as well as tips to becoming a multiplayer ace. Details on the modes featured in the game are as follows:

Dog Fight

Dog fight is a traditional ‘free-for-all’ mode. After selecting initial game settings (number of players, difficulty level, planes available, game play map, time limit, points limits etc) players engage in aerial dogfights earning points for every downed enemy aircraft.

The winner is the first pilot to reach the point limit first or the pilot with the most points when the allotted time runs out.


Team Dog Fight

After selecting initial settings, players are divided into two teams. Like Dog fight, points are earned for every downed aircraft in the enemy’s team.

The winner is the team that reaches the point limit first or has the most points when the allotted time runs out.


Strike

Strike is a multiplayer mode where teams attempt to destroy as many of the enemy’s ground targets as possible, while defending their own. The winner is the team with either the most points when the timer runs out, the team that reaches the points limit first or the team who wipes out all of their opponent’s ground targets. Points are awarded for both aerial and ground targets, although ground targets are worth more points than those in the air.


Capture the Airfield

In Capture the Airfield, players attempt to capture and hold as many opposition airfields as possible. An airfield is considered captured once a player lands and spends a specified amount of time on the ground without being destroyed. All airfields in this mode being the game as neutral, so securing airfields quickly is crucial.
Each team is granted a specified number of team tickets at the beginning of the game. Each time a player respawns, one team ticket is used up. Once a team has no tickets left, it cannot return to the battlefield.
The team controlling the lowest number of airfields suffers a penalty of their ticket pool being depleted second by second. The bigger this disadvantage, the quicker the ticket pool is depleted.
The winner is the team that has the most tickets left either at the end of the match or when an enemy team loses all tickets and planes.

IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey gives you the chance to participate in the most famous confrontations of the era piloting fighters, battle planes or heavy bombers across a range of daring and action packed missions. There are 6 theatres of war in which to engage – The Battle of Britain, Stalingrad, Berlin, Sicily, the Battle of the Bulge and Korsun – representing the main airborne battles of World War II in Europe.

IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey will be published by 505 Games in collaboration with 1C Company on 4th September for Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo DS and PSP.

Monte Cristo Games and Namco Bandai Games are thrilled to be able to reveal the limited edition and standard editions for Cities XL, their innovative next generation city-simulation game. The Limited Edition includes 16 bonus items in a special pack and will only be available from key UK retailers.

The Cities XL Standard Edition box will include the installation DVD for the game, two instruction manuals, a 7-day trial code for the online Planet Offer and a trial offer on a second DVD so that one of your friends can discover the game.

On top of that, the Limited Edition box will include the following additional content:

• Five additional maps for solo mode,
• Five exclusive landmark buildings, (Berlin’s Victory Column, Kiev’s St. Vladimir’s Cathedral, New York’s 40 Wall Street, Paris’ Opera Garnier, San Francisco’s Grand Hotel),
• One exclusive city hall: Los Angeles’ City Hall,
• Two permanent blueprints: the Mayan pyramid of Chichen Itza and London’s Big Ben. These blueprints will be available from the start and can be built as many times as you wish.
• A bonus in-game t-shirt to make your avatar even more unique,
• an honorific medal to display proudly on your personal profile page on CitiesXL.com,
• Three postcards
• A 41x34cm poster

You will soon be able to pre-order the Limited Edition in the UK; there will be more information in the following days.

About CITIES XL

CITIES XL enables gamers to develop cities on realistic 3D maps, which feature a variety of environments from mountain ranges to beaches and islands. The cities you will build are based on American, Asian and European-influenced architectural styles. You must create the right combinations of job opportunities, social services, leisure activities, and special events within your cities in order to keep your citizens occupied and happy. Whether you’re planning and building a new zoo, public park, residential neighbourhood or transit system, there's always a fresh and exciting challenge for would-be city managers and mayors in CITIES XL.

An immersive adventure unfolds in stunning detail

Eidos Interactive, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and NVIDIA Corporation announce the Games for Windows LIVE release of forthcoming DC Comics-licensed videogame, Batman: Arkham Asylum, will feature NVIDIA PhysX technology, which allows for the creation of incredibly realistic worlds full of interactive materials and objects.



As a result, PC gamers will get to experience intense realism and fully immerse themselves in Batman’s journey into Gotham City’s asylum for the criminally insane.

Hardware accelerated by supported NVIDIA GeForce GPUs, PhysX technology provides an even deeper level of engagement for players of Batman: Arkham Asylum by utilizing the processing power of the NVIDIA GPU to render stunning in-game physics objects in the environment that not only add to the overall look of the game, but create an immersive and believable world.

With PhysX technology enabled, players can explore darkened corridors packed with volumetric fog which reacts to Batman’s movement and cobwebs which tear with his passing. Combat becomes a maelstrom of motion as office papers are thrown into the air alongside soda cans and litter as Batman lands each punch upon The Joker’s henchmen. Throughout the game, the decaying gothic architecture is realized to an incredible detail with wall tiles chipping and breaking, stone pillars crumbling upon impact, and particles from breaking glass and debris shattering and falling down around Batman’s feet.

“Supporting NVIDIA PhysX technology has allowed us to add that little bit extra to the PC version of the game,” said Sefton Hill, Game Director at Rocksteady Studios. “As Batman interacts with the world, the aging asylum creates a more immersive, believable world which really draws the player in.”

Batman: Arkham Asylum™ exposes players to a unique, dark and atmospheric adventure that takes them to the depths of Arkham Asylum – Gotham City’s psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. Gamers will move in the shadows, instigate fear amongst their enemies and confront The Joker and Gotham City’s most notorious villains who have taken over the asylum. Using a wide range of Batman’s gadgets and abilities, players will become the Invisible Predator and attempt to foil The Joker’s demented scheme.

The NVIDIA PhysX development platform consists of a robust physics engine, API, and middleware designed to give developers and animators unprecedented creative control over the look of their final in-game interactivity by allowing them to author and preview physics in real time. To take advantage of PhysX technology in Batman: Arkham Asylum, players must have a compatible NVIDIA GPU and a copy of the Games for Windows LIVE version of the game, which will be available beginning September 15th, 2009, in North America, and September 18th, 2009, in Europe and Australia.

Batman: Arkham Asylum will also be available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system from August 25th, 2009, in North America and August 28th, 2009, in Europe and Australia.

The much anticipated cricketing title, Cricket Revolution, launch announced at www.cricketrevolution.com. Available worldwide on September 18th via Steam, Valve’s leading platform for digital content distribution and management, the game is set to bring completely new dynamics of multiplayer gaming to cricket fans around the globe.

Cricket Revolution is an independently developed title focusing on high adrenaline multiplayer gameplay based around the sport of cricket. With a new and innovative cricket gaming engine at its core, the game brings a new level of depth and engagement to cricket video games. Legions of fans from the cricketing world will now have the opportunity to pad-up and walk out on the pitch to test their mettle against friends and foes alike across the globe in a battle of wits, dexterity, and strategy to dominate the playing field.

The game boasts an in-game community and match making system for gamers to find opponents instantly while keeping track of every statistic from each match played. Results of games are posted online on the game’s site, giving each player the opportunity to track their career, mull over every detail of their batting and bowling stats dear to cricket fans, and progress on competitive ladders of varying difficulty on their way to cricketing glory.

Cricket Revolution offers gamers multiple play modes, including online play, LAN play, and single player modes against an advanced and adaptive AI. Coupled with hundreds of fully motion captured actions, complete team customization, online awards, achievements, and tournaments, the game is poised to cause a stir in the world of cricket sports video games this fall.

Cricket Revolution has been developed and produced by Mindstorm Studios, an independent game developer based out of Pakistan. The game is primed to launch around mid-September on Steam and will be the first title to be independently developed, published, and globally released from the country. The title will be available exclusively for the PC at first, with the developer planning on a Wii port in the near future.

The long awaited SAGA Sealed Deck Tournaments launched flawlessly today after many months of Beta testing. The sealed deck format brings together skill, strategy and luck, evening the odds between long time collectors and new arrivals to the SAGA community. This is essential because SAGA is an MMORTS, where players collect and level up their troops through quests and are rewarded with powerful battle gear.

Without the sealed deck format, a new player would have about as much of a chance at winning as any level 1 player trying to PvP in a traditional MMO against level 80 veterans.

The SAGA tournament system was designed by Silverlode Interactive marketing director Slava Zatuchny, who invented many tournament formats for the Wizards of the Coast game Magic: the Gathering back in 1993; Slava ran such events at game conventions and later produced online tournaments with such prestigious companies as THQ, Interplay and Sony Online.“The sealed deck format has always been my favorite style of tournament play … there is no greater excitement to be had than playing with completely unfamiliar troops against opponents whose tactics you can’t possibly predict” says Slava Zatuchny, “I’m ecstatic at the results from applying the format to an RTS game.”

The automated tournament system allows events to start as soon as 8 players join the tournament queue, and also allows multiple tournaments to run simultaneously. Tournament Tokens are awarded as prizes after each battle round and can be redeemed in the SAGA in-game store for many rare and powerful items and units, as well as exclusive out-of-print items such as the faction packs sold in hobby stores.

While tournaments do have a nominal fee to join, the Tournament Tokens won by playing can be used to reenter additional events and even offer the potential for ‘going infinite’ (the ability to continue playing and winning at no cost). SAGA Credits - which can also be used to pay for tournament entry - can be acquired for Free by filling out surveys and offers from Silverlode’s partner Sometrics. Registration for SAGA is completely free and gives more than enough troops to begin adventuring, and there are no monthly subscription fees. Go to www.playsaga.com/tactics.php to sign up for a free account.

Running Pixel is pleased to announce “Bricks4Ever Giveaway Friday” one day of instant contests every gamer can enter to win dozens of our Indie Games.

On 7th August the contest will start on Running Pixel web site and on Twitter in a 24h marathon of questions, little enigmas and quizzes.

A fresh giveaway rain for Xbox gamers is coming.

Would you like a free game? Of course you would!

Bricks4Ever Giveaway Friday gives all gamers the chance to win dozens of Xbox redeem codes .

The rules are simple:

Download the free trial of the Xbox Live Indie Game
'Bricks4Ever'

More details revealed about dynamic dungeons.
NHN announce the launch of the official European website for Karos Online, its first free-to-play MMORPG to be published in Europe. At www.karosgame.com, players can now register and sign up for the closed beta test, which will be starting later this month. Discussion forums have also been opened to allow the community to chat about Karos Online, and additional information about the game will be posted there to help fans prepare for the closed beta. An English release is scheduled for early autumn 2009, with German and Turkish versions to follow.

NHN has also revealed details about the game's dynamic dungeon system, which will be playable in closed beta. In addition to traditional MMORPG dungeons full of monsters and epic loot, two types of original dungeons will be available in Karos Online:

* Event dungeons, instanced for parties of up to five players, will offer adventures marked by spectacular happenings: as a party progresses into the dungeon, the environment will evolve in response to their actions, with bridges collapsing, ceilings crashing to the ground and passages appearing to reveal the path ahead.
* Maze dungeons, integrated in the open world with no party size limit, will surprise and bewilder players with walls that move and shift constantly to affect the party's path, offering a dynamic, action-packed game experience.


Dungeons are arranged in progressively difficult stages, with the later levels - including battles against fearsome boss monsters - accessible only to those who have proven themselves worthy. Each victory in the dungeons will grant the player a ticket, which can be used to advance to harder challenges.

Karos Online - Stunning 3D Action Fantasy MMORPG

Karos Online (http://www.karosgame.com) is a brand new free-to-play fantasy MMORPG developed by Galaxy Gate (lead developers of Laghaim and Last Chaos), to be published in Europe by NHN. An English release is scheduled for early autumn 2009, with German and Turkish versions to follow.

In Karos Online, players take the role of a hero determined to defeat the curse of darkness falling over the world of Asmara and ascend to ultimate glory by becoming the mythical Karos warrior. Through questing, guild clashes and mass PvP, they enter the fight for domination over the world's vital energy source, Fletta. Fletta gems provide the basis for the game's unique and complex alternate progression system; alongside traditional leveling within the game, Fletta energy can be used to increase stats, give buffs, buy resources and enchant items.

With a strong RPG component, wide range of class skills and fantastic visual combat effects, Karos Online offers a rich player experience and an exciting end-game for guilds, including castle sieges and resource control points. There are a variety of dynamic dungeons to explore, with shifting paths and surprises to challenge players as they progress in level. The economy is well-developed, with mining, fishing and crafting elements, and a consignment system for storage and an auction house.

Karos Online offers rare graphical quality for its small client size, and will be accessible to a vast range of computers with minimal requirements. Videos demonstrating graphics and gameplay are now available on the official website at www.karosgame.com, and more features will be revealed as the closed beta test, scheduled to start in mid-August, gets underway.

Karos Online features

* Breathtaking 3D graphics and combat action effects
* 5 different races and 9 original classes, evolving into 36 different specialized classes
* Dynamic, evolving dungeons with shifting paths and surprises
* Guild wars, territory control and 500 vs 500 castle siege battles
* Alternate Fletta level progression system
* Elaborate mining, fishing and crafting system
* Small client size (700MB) and low minimum PC requirements
* Keyboard and mouse control both available

Lock, Load and Let the Machismo Fly; This Ain't for Sissies, Folks!
Looking like something out of a Quentin Tarantino movie, the Buckshot Pump-Action Shotgun for Nintendo Wii is one of the coolest accessories to hit the video game market since, well, forever. This sucker packs a nasty punch and is sure to inspire the macho fantasies of gamers around the globe.

The Buckshot encases a controller that is similar in function to a Nintendo Wii Nunchuck and uses the pump reload feature to access the B button while the trigger accesses the A button. The rubber grips ensure an easy hold and a fast reload time, making it ideal for such games as Call of Duty 3, Call of Duty: World at War, Links Crossbow Training, House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return, House of the Dead: Overkill, Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, James Bond: Quantum of Solace, Medal of Honor: Heroes 2, and much more!

Product Features:

· Access B Button using Pump Action

· Access A Button via the Trigger

· Integrated Controller with Similar Functions to a Nintendo Wii Nunchuck

· Rubber Grips Ensure a Firm Hold

· Available in Red and Black

· Compatible with your favorite Nintendo Wii shooting games!

· Suggested Retail Price: $34.99

“Shooting games just became a whole lot more intense with the release of the Buckshot,” stated Titi Ngoy, President of Innex, Inc. which holds the exclusive distribution rights to the product. “The Buckshot will deliver a new level of adrenaline to any shooting game.”

Players of All Ages Can Now Cast Lines and Catch Fish, Parts, Powers and Other Items at www.FreakyCreatures.com

Abandon Interactive Entertainment introduce Freaky Fishing as a new addition to the massively multiplayer online game (MMOG), Freaky Creatures. Players can now bring their Creatures to lakes all over the Freaky Creatures universe to catch fish, parts, powers, lair objects and other unknown treasures.

With the recently announced free to play option, players can now experience the Freaky Creatures universe and try out Freaky Fishing for free by signing up at the game's Web site, http://www.FreakyCreatures.com.

The previously unexplored lakes in Freaky Creatures are full of fish, treasure chests and other objects from all over the universe. Players begin in a lobby by clicking on a dock and selecting "Go Fishing." After choosing a bobber, players cast their line by clicking on one of three casting zones. Once players get a bite, they can click on the bobber to start reeling in their catch! If a fish is caught, a Creature Trainer can choose to save it, sell it or eat it for a boost during battle. As a player's Creature makes successful catches and improves in fishing skill, it can access better bobbers to get a wider range of fish and objects, including treasure chests that might include a part, power or lair object to add to the Creature's inventory.

Freaky Creatures starter packs are now available for purchase at comic, hobby and local toy retailers and FYE stores nationwide for $19.99. The game is also available at FAO Schwarz in New York City. For more information, to try out the game for free, or to purchase your very own Freaky Creatures starter pack, please visit http://www.FreakyCreatures.com.

About Freaky Creatures
Freaky Creatures combines the best of online multiplayer gaming, collectible action figures, virtual worlds and social networking. The Freaky Creatures experience begins with a starter pack that includes two action figures and a one gigabyte reusable flash drive that unlocks the Freaky Creatures universe. The initial creatures come with 50 different parts, 20 powers and four objects that can be placed into the creature's lair. Players can take their creatures online and customize them using rare parts and powers to create one of over 3.2 billion possible combinations. Once players have created their custom creature, they can jump straight into battle or build a lair where they can care for their creature and hang out and socialize with friends. Gamers are encouraged to visit the community to personalize their homepage, play mini-games, join tournaments, check leaderboards, trade items, read animated comics, enter contests, form teams and much more in the ever expanding Freaky Creatures universe.

Although you'll have to (PSP) go and buy the UMD version to get the game's full 2-disc soundtrack
Atlus announce the upcoming Shin Megami Tensei Persona for PSP (PlayStationPortable) system, the highly-anticipated remake of the first chapter in the critically-acclaimed Persona series, will launch simultaneously at retail and via PlayStation Network on September 22nd.

Retail customers have an added incentive to pre-order; the UMD release of SMT: Persona is a Collector's Edition boxed set, with each and every launch copy including the game's full 2-disc musical score, courtesy of master composer Shoji Meguro, at no additional cost.

Lauded for its mature and philosophical narrative, SMT: Persona stands apart from other RPGs of its era, blending sophisticated storytelling with addictive combat, demon negotiation, and demon fusion components. Boasting a fully redone localization (including content never before seen in North America), all-new music, beautiful new animated sequences overseen by famed artist Kazuma Kaneko, enhanced graphics and sound, adjustments to game balance, and a number of technical and design improvements, this is the definitive version of one of the most sought after RPGs of all time.

"Over a decade after the game was originally released for PlayStation®, we're proud to be able to deliver a remade, remastered SMT: Persona through the ever-growing PlayStation®Store in addition to traditional retail channels," said Tim Pivnicny, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Atlus. "When the PSP®go System launches in October, customers will immediately be able to load up a digital copy of what promises to be one of the platform's strongest RPG releases of the year. To show our devotion to our fans and retail partners, the UMD release of SMT: Persona will include the game's complete 2-disc soundtrack. This tremendous value is exclusive to the retail version of the game, and only available for a limited time at launch."

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona is currently scheduled to release in stores and via PlayStation Network on September 22, 2009. Both versions have an MSRP of $39.99, but only the physical launch copies will include the game's soundtrack on 2 discs, all packaged in a premium oversized outer box.

About SMT: Persona
The rumor going around St. Hermelin High School holds that if you play the "Persona" game, you can see what the future holds for you. When a group of students-some eager, some skeptical-tries the game out, they experience something quite different. Before long, the city is turned upside-down and demons are roaming the streets, and only the students' newfound power of Persona can set things right again.

Whether you pursue Takahisa Kandori and his abuses of the power he wields as SEBEC's president, or whether you delve into the curse of the Snow Queen that has plagued St. Hermelin for decades, a deep, modern, psychological tale awaits. Remember your true self, and free the tortured psyches of others...

Key Features

* More than the same old JRPG - Dark, philosophical, and complex, Persona sets you up in a modern day Japan that has gone into chaos. Demons run free, and you and your team must navigate corruption, mental frailty, and an alternate version of your world to bring your reality back into order.
* A second chance on PSP - Offering a second opportunity to experience the beginnings of the acclaimed Persona series, this remake boasts a fully relocalized script, revamped user interface, faster battles, expanded soundtrack, and new in-game movies with voice work added just for the North American release.
* Unique tactical opportunities - The inner selves known Personas are your key to progressing through the adventure, adding skills and incredible depth to your battle tactics. Expand and improve your collection through the Demon Negotiation system that offers spell cards that you can later fuse into new Personas.


Shin Megami Tensei: Persona has been rated "T" for Teen with Fantasy Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Simulated Gambling, and Suggestive Themes by the ESRB.

Scratch DJ Game, LLC, a joint venture between Numark Industries, LLC and Genius Products, LLC announced today that it has recently hired Commotion Interactive, the music and party game division of Bedlam Games Inc., to complete development of its much anticipated music rhythm game, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. In choosing the industry veterans at Commotion Interactive, Scratch DJ Game, LLC underscores its commitment to successfully launching Scratch and establishing a strong footprint in the progressively growing and competitive music gaming industry.

"With Scratch: The Ultimate DJ we will deliver an innovative, ground breaking video game for fans of hip-hop," said Jack O'Donnell, CEO of Scratch DJ Game, LLC. "We have selected Commotion and are confident that they are the best choice to help us achieve our mission. The team's rich and varied development experience includes talent from Rockstar Games, Ubisoft, and Electronic Arts."

"Scratch: The Ultimate DJ offers a revolutionary take on the existing music/rhythm genre. The combination of the game and the proprietary Scratch Deck controller will bring the art of DJing to the masses," said Trevor Fencott, CEO of Bedlam Games Inc. "The Scratch Deck combines a touch sensitive turntable from Numark with the drumpads from the iconic Akai Professional MPC. This combination delivers an authentic music gaming experience unlike any other. We are thrilled to embark on this venture with Scratch, and can't wait for this exciting title to hit store shelves."

Commotion's mission is to deliver music and party game titles borne of exceptional design, fostered by meticulous planning, and realized by a world-class team. The studio was formed in 2006 by a seasoned group of industry professionals who are united in their belief that games can be developed on a creative level. The Commotion team is dedicated to providing quality titles that resonate with consumers looking for an entertaining and original gaming experience.

Scratch: The Ultimate DJ will be available in early 2010 on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. For more information on Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, please visit: http://www.scratchvideogame.com/

Vogster Entertainment is looking for 25 beta testers for their upcoming iPhone game, Robocalypse - Mobile Mayhem. Those accepted into the testing program (100 will apply, only 25 will be chosen) will receive access to a test version of Robocalypse - Mobile Mayhem, and will receive a free, full-featured version of this hilarious and fast-paced strategy game when it releases on the iTunes Store later this summer.

Gamers interested in enlisting in the test need to head over to the URL below and submit the requested information. We are only considering the first 100 entries, and only 25 of those will be chosen to enter the test based on their knowledge of iPhone apps, gaming and use of the iPhone.

Follow the link below to enlist in the Robocalypse Army now!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=jiUBGkuAacY4ovmxjHhxuQ_3d_3d

Based on the award-winning fast-action strategy title for the Nintendo DS, Robocalypse – Mobile Mayhem for the iPhone features all the zany characters, hilarious dialog and exciting yet accessible action of the original game. In Robocalypse – Mobile Mayhem, players will build and command robot armies to fend off attacks from the evil Demolisher and his near-endless supply of maniacal mechanical marauders. The game features characters and dialog created by the comedic writing duo of Jay Lender (of Spongebob Squarepants™ fame) and Micah Wright and a storyline sure to keep players laughing for hours on end. Featuring 10 unit types, 20 varieties of weaponry, 17 campaign missions, 18 unique multiplayer maps, a cast of powerful Hero robots and an intuitive touch-screen interface, Robocalypse – Mobile Mayhem ensures fun for everyone. For additional information, please visit www.robocalypse.com

But, millions will be devastated to hear, it’s only in Japan

A company called DDM.tv has in one fell swoop both answered a million prayers and made real a million nightmares by confirming an HD porn download service for owners of the PS3 – though it will only be available in Japan.

Kotaku reports that DDM promises to bring Blu-ray quality high definition adult movies to those with a PS3, broadband connection, HDMI cable and an HD TV. Movies will be offered for download on a pre-pay basis.

Current titles include the cleverly titled 100 Masturbators, apparently.

Unsurprisingly, there’s no word on a European rollout just yet.

Source: MCVuk

German production house Village1 Entertainment officially announce workings on the project “ENCLAVE” for Nintendo Wii. Based on many requests from the fantasy community, Village1 Entertainment decided to support this exciting fantasy production. The Wii version is guaranteed to offer all features of former brand releases and will contain new features in addition to previous versions. Due to an experienced team the game is already in an advanced development stage and will prospective hit the shelves beginning of 2010.

“ENCLAVE” is a fantasy action epos charged with spectacular fights and many RPG elements. In the beginning the player takes control of a fearless knight fighting his way out of a mysterious fortress. While the player can switch between both First Person and Third Person Modus his goal is to defend the lone city of Celenheim from the dark Outlanders preparing to invade. Underlined with a dramatic Hollywood like soundtrack "ENCLAVE" is set to offer plenty of gaming hours.

During the game the player has the possibility to pick further characters as rogues, elves and magicians. All characters are using a spectacular combat system, can wear hundreds of unique armour pieces and can be equipped with both melee and range weapons. The character selection is very important since every mission has unique challenges and unexpected twists.

The Freesky Online team has merged the Paradise and Canaan servers effective August 6, 2009. These have been replaced by the new Paradise&Canaan server, featuring a larger map to accommodate more players.

The main goal of the merger is to increase player interaction. On Paradise&Canaan, players will be scattered across a bigger map with ample resources to discover and threats to overcome. With a higher population come more opportunities for PvP and strategic alliances as players vie for territory in their new world.

Some players have voiced concerns that their production tasks or other ongoing activities will be adversely affected by the merger. To compensate players for any inconvenience that may result, the Freesky Online team is awarding gift packages that may include gold, resources, items, and Gift Points.

Please visit http://fo.igg.com/news/news-view.php?aid=312 to find out more details about how the merger will affect you and what type of compensation you can expect to receive.

MMOABC, a leading massively-multiplayer online (MMO) portal and social network, is proud to announce a gift code giveaway with Omerta and Omerta Game Ltd. Players can sign up and participate in this event at http://www.mmoabc.com/giveaway/79/Omerta-Gift-Code-Giveaway.html starting on August 6.

Players participating in this giveaway event will receive the following in-game items:

-Crime/Car/Smuggling attempts: +75
(go to jail less and earn more money at the start)
-Rankpoints: +50
-1 car (Cadillac)
-Money: $50,000

“We are happy to work with a great partner such as Omerta Game Ltd. on Omerta to give away in-game items,” said MMOABC Head of Marketing Michael Tong. “Offering in-game items to our gaming community is another step in empowering our gamers.”

Riot Games is expanding its user base for the closed beta of the highly anticipated online multiplayer session-based game League of Legends. Testers will receive special in-game rewards for participating and providing feedback in the closed beta.

League of Legends, which was nominated for the Game Critics Awards Best Strategy Game of E3, will be available for free on Windows PC in September 2009. A Collector’s Pack that contains exclusive items, such as two unique Champion skins, as well as a number of Champions, Runes and Riot Points, will be available for $29.99 at www.leagueoflegends.com and at major retail outlets.

Gamers who would like to get a sneak peek at the game and provide valuable feedback in the development process are invited to sign up for the closed beta by visiting www.leagueoflegends.com. To reward testers, Riot will offer an exclusive champion skin that can be used in the final version of the game. Testers that participated in the closed beta prior to July 14, 2009 will also have their screen names permanently listed in the League of Legends developer credits.

"By expanding the pool of beta users we strive to support the strong community following itching to jump right into the game," Brandon Beck, co-founder and CEO, Riot Games, said.

"We truly value the input and early support our community has provided, so it’s only fair that they get credit and rewarded for helping to mold the game!"

League of Legends combines elements of role-playing and strategy genres with addictive battle action that brings accessible, replayable and competitive gameplay into a whimsical universe that deepens with the player’s commitment. Built by a veteran development team and the original creators of DotA Allstars, one of the world’s most popular player-made mods, League of Legends is a unique and genre bending experience. The game will be operated as a live service that will be frequently updated with new features, champions, maps and additional content as suggested by the community.

A player in League of Legends takes on the role of a Summoner – a gifted spell caster who has the power to bring forth a champion to fight as his or her avatar in Valoran’s Fields of Justice. As the Summoner controls the champion in combat, it also influences the outcome of the match through the use of spells, masteries and runes. Once a match is over, the Summoner gains Influence Points and Riot Points that can be used to assist their champions in future battles. Influence Points will be earned by simply playing the game, while Riot Points will be available for purchase with real money.

League of Legends will offer endless permutations of builds, strategies and combinations that will make the game extremely competitive and interesting for those focused on competitive play.

Mini Ninjas will take you on a journey to feudal Japan where you’ll join Hiro, Futo, and the rest of the ninja clan on their biggest ninja adventure ever, as they embark on an epic and electrifying quest to restore harmony to a world on the brink of chaos. Mini Ninjas will be playable on Nintendo Wii, The Nintendo DS, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Games for Windows and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system.



Character: Shun
Shun is a living contradiction. He's the most tense of all the Mini Ninjas but oddly, he still maintains the unique ninja skill of calming himself to utter silence when the situation requires it. Shun is the stealthiest of all the Mini Ninjas.

Weapon: Bow
Special Ability: Shun's special attack enables him to tie a lit explosive to the shaft of one of his arrows. He can then fire this special projectile across long distances to damage, or simply scare, his enemies with the explosion.

Trivia: Shun has been known to sit completely still for two days straight in order to hit a target perfectly.

Many Americans care deeply about who appears on the front cover of Madden. Many Europeans, on the other hand, do not. They instead care about who ends up on the front cover of FIFA.

And this year, for the first time in a little while, there are new people! For the past few years now, the cover (at least, the British/Australasian cover) has featured Wayne Rooney and Ronaldinho. But with Ronaldinho on a fast track to mid-career oblivion, EA Sports have binned him in favour of a couple of new players.

So, as you can see, the cover has now all gone all-England, featuring Wayne Rooney (centre), Arsenal's Theo Walcott (left) and Chelsea's Frank Lampard (right). As noted, however, this only applies to the title sold in English-speaking PAL territories. Other regions - like Germany, Spain and the US - will feature different stars (Germany's edition, for example, will feature Bayern star Bastian Schweinsteiger alongside Rooney)

Alongside the cover reveal, EA Sports also announced that all versions of the game - on *gasp* 360, PS3, PC, PS2, DS, PSP and Wii - will be out in Europe on October 2.

Source: Kotaku

June 1940. During World War II, The allies trained a group of soldiers for special assignments: "Commandos".

Take control of the Green Beret, the spy, the sniper and the sapper in this real-time game of stealth, infiltration and ambush.

Disable mines, dispatch enemies and destroy objectives as you fight for freedom across Germany, France, Norway and North Africa.

• Thwart the German war machine by means of sabotage and subterfuge.
• Control up to 4 commandos to accomplish missions.
• 3 game environments:
o Fields and towns of Central Europe.
o Snow covered bases in Norway and France
o North Africa’s hostile desert
• Awesome graphics and effects.
• Improve your scores to achieve the highest award in each mission.

Description (WAP)
Take control of a group of soldiers to execute sabotage and subterfuge war operations.

Tags
Strategy, action

Compatibility
Technology: J2ME
Languages: Inglés, Francés, Alemán, Italiano, Español y Ruso.
Compatible mobiles:

• Alcatel: OT556, OT565, OT-C701.
• Huawei: 710, 720, 810.
• HTC: S710
• LG: B2000, C1150, KG220, KG225, KG210, B2050, B2070, F1200, F2100, F2400, L3100, S5200, C3380, C3300, C3310, C3320, C3400, KG245, KG800, M4410, P7200, KU380, KU250, U8500, U880, U890, KG320, KG810, U300, KE970, KU970, U400, U830.
• Motorola: C380, C385, C650, C651, V180, V220, 385, V185, V188, V186, SlrvL6, L2, W377, V195, E398, E550, E770, RAZR V3, V300, V360v, V400, V500, V535, V550, V551, V600, V620, V80, V975, V980, PEBL U6, ROKR E1, SLVR L7, E770-Vodafone, RAZR V3i, v635, C975, V360-Vodafone, Z3, K1, PEBL V6, V3-Vodafone, RAZR V3 BLK, RAZR V3m, L7-Vodafone, SLVR V8, V303, V525, V525M, V560, V505, V980 (Vodafone), V557, W510, W940, RAZR V6, KRZR K3, RIZR Z8.
• Nokia: 2650, 3100, 3105, 3108, 3120, 3125, 3200, 3205, 3300, 5100, 6030, 6100, 6108, 6200, 6220, 6225, 6585 (US), 6610, 6650, 6651, 6800, 6810, 6820, 7200, 7210, 7250, 7600, 6610i, 7250i, 2355, 6560, 3100 US, 3205 SPR, 6030 US, 3220, 5140, 6020, 6021, 6235, 6822, 7260, 5140i, 6235i, 6230, 2610, 2626, 3152, 3155, 6060, 6101, 6102, 6103, 6152, 6155, 6170, 6255, 7270, 3155i, 6155i, 6111, 6136, 6165, 2855, 2865, 2865i, 5200, 6070, 6080, 6085, 6102i, 6125, 6151, 7360, 3110 classic, 6061, 6086, 6255i, 3500, 5070, 3109, 2630, 2760, 2660, 3110, 2600 classic, 2670, 3600, 3620, 3650, 3660, 7650, 3630, N-GAGE, N-GAGE QD, 3230, 6260, 6600, 6620, 6630, 6670, 6680, 6681, 6682, 7610, N70, N72, N91, 3250, 6638, 6230i, 5500, 8800, 8800 sirocco, 5500d, 8801, 3280, 6131, 6233, 6234, 6265, 6270, 6280, 6282, 7030, 7370, 6265i, 5300, 6126, 6275, 6275i, 6288, 7373, 7390, 6300, 6267, 8600, 6500 classic, 6133, 7500 Prism, 5610 XpressMusic, 7900 Prism, 6555, 5310 XpressMusic, 8800 Art, 6301, 6500 slide, 6263, 3120 classic, 5000, N71, N73, E50, 6290, E65, N75, N93, N93i, N95, 5700, N92, N76, N6110, N5700, 6110 Navigator, 6120classic, N77, N81, N81 8GB, N82, N95 8GB, E51, 6124classic, N78, N96, E60, E70, N80, N90.
• Panasonic: MX6, SA6, VS2, VS3, VS6.
• Sagem: My411Cv, my600x, my600v, My850v.
• Samsung: SGH-X660-Vodafone, SGH-E350, SGH-X650, SGH-X660, SGH-X680-Vodafone, SGH-E250, E350e, S280, SGH-E350E, SGH-E350V, X640, SGH-E370, SGH-J700, SGH-X550, SGH-J600, SGH-M610, SGH-C520, SGH-M300, SGH-T439, SGH-T429, SGH-T329, SGH-T219, SGH-T209, SGH-T309, SPH-A940, A950, A960, Z140v, Z150, SGH-Z300, SGH-Z500, ZM60, SGH-Z140, SGH-Z230, SGH-T819, SGH-Z240, SGH-Z170, SGH-D500, SGH-D508, SGH-E730, Z130, SGH-ZV10, SGH-D500c, SGH-D500e, SGH-E738, X700, SGH-E740, SGH-E760, SGH-E490, SGH-T629, SGH-T729, SGH-T509, SGH-T739, SGH-T619, SGH-Z540, Z400, Z560, ZV50, E900, SGH-F330, SGH-U700, SGH-D600, SGH-Z510, D830, SGH-D900, SGH-D608, SGH-D900 (Orange), U600, D840, SGH-D820.
• Sharp: TQ-GX15, TQ-GX17, TQ-Gx25, TQ-GX29, 550SH, 703SH, 770SH, 902SH-Vodafone, V703, V902, 903SH, V903.
• Siemens: CFX65, CL75, SF65, CF61, SF65v2, C65, C72v, CV65, SL65, C65-Vodafone, CT65, C72, CX65, CX66, CX70, CX70Emoty, CX75, CXT65, CXV65, M65, S65, S66, SK65, SP65, S68, ME75, SI75, CX65-Vodafone, CX70-Vodafone, CXT70, MT65, M65C, M65-Vodafone, M65i, S65-Vodafone, S6C, SK6R, SXG75, Ef81, EL71.
• Sony Ericsson: J300, J300a, J300c, J300i, K300, K300a, K300c, K300i, K500, F500, F500i, K310a, K310c, K310i, K506, K506c, K508, K508c, K508i, K510a, K510c, K510i, W300c, W300i, Z500a, Z500i, Z520a, Z520c, Z520i, Z530c, Z530i, K320i, W200i, K500c, K500i, W200, Z310i, Z320, T280, Z310, Z310a, D750, D750i, K600, K600i, K608, K608i, K610c, K610i, K700c, K700i, K750, K750c, K750i, S600, V600, V600i, V800, V802, W500c, W550i, W600, W600i, W800, W800c, W800i, W810a, W810c, W810i, Z800c, Z800i, V630i, W700i, Z550i, Z610i, V620i, w710i, K618i, k710i, Z710i, W550a, K550i, V800i, K530i, K530, W660, W350, W380, W380i, M600i, M608, P990i, K790i, K790a, K790c, K800i, K800c, S700i, S700c, S710a, W900i, W900c, W850i, W880i, Z750, S710, W950i, K800iv, W850iv, W910i, K810i, K850i, S500i, W960i, K770i, T650i, W890, W760, W880iv, W580i, W580, W580c, W880, K790.
• Toshiba: TS705, TS608.

London based cinematics outfit Spov.tv, best known for their ground breaking work on the Call of Duty series, are proud to announce the completion of a package of animated sequences for US-based games developer Luxoflux for the critically acclaimed latest release of Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen.



Using a multitude of motion graphic interface sequences, typographic animation, compositing wizardry and 3D animation, Spov produced two long form campaign intro sequences along with a number of inter level cinematics for both the Autobot and Decepticon factions in the game.

"We enjoyed an extremely close and co-operative relationship with both Activision and Luxoflux on Revenge of the Fallen," said Spov Managing Director Allen Leitch. "Working with such enthusiastic and forward thinking clients makes our job a great deal easier. From the very first previews we saw for the game we new we were fortunate to be involved in something special."

Luxoflux were equally effusive regarding the working relationship: "Spov were great to work with – fast, reliable and flexible. They brought great ideas and their communication was top-notch. This made it very easy to iterate with them toward a goal that wasn’t always easy for us to describe given the far-flung sci-fi concepts of our latest title. Their output was a huge plus for our game’s presentation and they made the process fun. I would definitely work with them again".

Spov produced the sequences from initial storyboards to final HD delivery.

As reported Infinity Ward’s plans to release a patch for Call of Duty 4 as soon as possible. This is due to the amount of hacks and exploits present at the moment. We have some info on one of the main exploits found, it’s known as the ‘UFO Hack’.

As reported from GamingConsoleNetwork, the UFO hack allows players to run through walls and ‘fly’ through the air, enabling a complete birdseye view of the map in the process.



Thankfully, it looks like Infinity Ward are on the case and are due to release a patch this week to combat the problem. We must admit though, flying through the air is a new one to us, we wonder how long this one has been around.

Take a look at the video below, which shows you how the hack works. Lets hope this PSN user gets whats coming to him from IW. Let us know your thoughts on the current state of COD4.

Source: PRNews

Both online and retail versions of the award winning adventure game from Daedalic Entertainment, Edna & Harvey: The Breakout will be published in the US. The game was voted “Best Adventure Game of 2008” at the German Game Developers Awards. Edna & Harvey: The Breakout is a point & click adventure game in the vein of the genre’s classics. Backgrounds and characters are completely 2D and drawn by hand by a real person in the game’s unique cartoon style.

The game’s characters range from odd to genuinely crazy – twisted humor guaranteed! Thanks to challenging puzzles, extensive dialogues and more than 120 screens, gamers can look forward to an extraordinarily long gamezplay experience. The English version of the game will be available in Q4, 2009.

In Edna & Harvey: The Breakout, Edna wakes up in the padded cell of an insane asylum with no memory of her past or how she ended up there. Only one thing is for certain: She has been wrongfully imprisoned and will have to escape! After all, she feels entirely sane – and her speaking stuffed toy bunny Harvey wholeheartedly agrees. Together they undertake a daring breakout attempt, meeting up with numerous oddball inmates, like the Man in the Bee’s Costume or Siamese twins Hoti and Moti. But Dr. Marcel, the sinister head of the institute, will do everything in his power to stop Edna. What evil scheme is afoot? Slowly Edna begins to regain her memories of the past…

“Given our success bringing great and engaging adventure games to the evolving mass market, we believe Edna & Harvey is a wonderful addition to our line-up,” said Lloyd Melnick, Merscom’s Chief Customer Officer. “Casual gamers, in particular, are looking for innovative adventure games and you don’t get much better than the adventure game of the year from probably the most sophisticated adventure game market.”

According to a recent study released by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), 68 percent of American households play computer or video games, making gaming one of the most popular entertainment forms in the United States. Catering to an exclusive segment of online gamers, StripesGAMER.com (http://www.StripesGAMER.com), a recently launched community designed specifically for players in the U.S. armed forces, announces the addition of renowned video game expert, Scott Steinberg, as its newest ongoing guest columnist.

A free online space, StripesGAMER.com serves as a unique, all-inclusive community where men and women in the U.S. military can communicate on forums and message boards, form teams, compete in gaming tournaments, as well as obtain the latest game industry news and commentary from experts such as Steinberg. The publisher of leading tech product reviews site DigitalTrends.com, Steinberg’s unique perspective as a gadget guru and video game expert is frequently sought after by both media insiders and gaming enthusiasts alike. Steinberg’s first official piece for the site will be posted on August 5th.

“Scott’s expertise and knowledge in this realm is a major asset for StripesGAMER.com,” said Terry Tognietti, president and CEO of Consumer Solutions Gaming, LLC, the company behind StripesGAMER.com. “Our goal is to be the go-to source for gamers in the armed forces who can’t access mainstream industry news and information as easily as normal consumers, or who don’t have the time to visit multiple gaming sites, so the insight and commentary he brings our audience is indisputably valuable to us and our site’s members.”

Tognietti adds that StripesGAMER.com strives to fill a void not only by bringing this audience an exciting competitive video gaming site, but also by giving them easy networking contact to their fellow military comrades, friends and family, while providing access to key gaming news through one community portal.

A regular on-air guest and video game analyst for broadcast networks such as ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and CNN, Steinberg has been hailed as a top video game and high-tech authority by dozens of outlets from BusinessWeek to The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Forbes and NPR.

StripesGAMER.com was created through a dynamic partnership between Consumer Solutions Gaming, LLC, and Stars and Stripes, the independent daily news source for the global U.S. military community. The gaming-centric site was designed to fill a demand for more accessible video game news and information by military personnel and to meet a strong need to create a sort of social forum for military men and women to reach out and connect to one another and their families. The most unique aspect of the site is in its competitive solo- or team-based video gaming capabilities across all platforms.

The alliance with Stars and Stripes has provided Consumer Solutions Gaming with an insight into the community’s needs and an effective means of reaching members of the U.S. armed forces to help launch the site that now serves as the only video gaming portal designed to serve active-duty and veteran military personnel and their families. In addition to hosting prime video game industry news and internal tournament updates, members benefit from StripesGAMER.com’s role as a high-functioning social networking community through its interactive forum and chat rooms.

"More than two thirds of the U.S. population are gamers and people in the armed forces make up a significant portion of this celebrated and growing audience,” explains Steinberg. “I’m proud to be part of an online community like StripesGAMER.com that’s connecting players across the globe through their shared interest in video gaming and the military, while also striving to bring members additional value beyond the game itself.”

About StripesGAMER.com
www.StripesGAMER.com is available at no charge and offers a host of unique features, such as the Insignia Creator widget for customizing team and player graphics, and excellent functionality in terms of the ability to set up a match, create a team, issue challenges and post scores. Unlike other sites, score history is preserved for as long as the player or team exists. Several seasons are presently underway with prizes planned for the winners.

Helen West
Age: 54
Occupation: Calligraphy Teacher

Profile:
Helen is a self-employed Calligraphy teacher, having set up the business in Arcadia City when she first moved here with Cate 17 years ago. The business has grown strongly and Helen now employs an apprentice full time to help with teaching her classes and private clients.

Since the death of her husband, James, Helen has raised Cate on her own. Recently, she has become worried about her daughter, who seems to be more and more tired and insular. She wonders if this might be anxiety about her new book or if some deeper ailment is responsible. Or perhaps Cate is just finding it difficult to keep up with her friend Yuki’s fast paced lifestyle?

How will Helen react if she learns of Cate’s unusual dreams and visions?

Hobbies:
Calligraphy, interior decoration and reading biographies.

Wesley Carr
Age: 29
Occupation: Copywriter & Editor

Profile:
Wesley is the publishing editor assigned to Cate’s first book. A bright and experienced editor in the crime fiction genre, Wesley has established many writers across the nation. Wesley holds a Bachelor's in English from University of Michigan and a Master's Degree in Medieval Literature from Oxford University, England.

Over the months working with Cate, he has developed a strong friendship with her and spends all his energies promoting her work. Can he propel Cate’s novel to the bestseller list?

Hobbies:
Reading, watching the opera and visiting quaint bookstores.

Yuki Takeba
Age: 26
Occupation: Stock Broker

Profile:
Born in Nara, Japan, Yuki immigrated with her family to United States when she was 8 years old. While in college, she roomed with Cate and the two have been close friends ever since. Both of her parents have since passed away and she has come to regard Cate as being as close as family.

Yuki is a talented and hardworking business genius. She has recently completed an MBA and, with a promotion to associate partner at her stockbroker firm, her life is faster paced than ever!

Cate and Yuki are both fans of Japanese art and cooking, with Yuki instructing Cate on the right ingredients to make perfect meals!

However, with her business commitments, will Yuki have as much time to continue her friendship with Cate?

Hobbies:
Volleyball, cooking food (Japanese and Italian) and watching classic horror films.

Less than a week from today, the Xbox LIVE summer update will arrive to more than 20 million Xbox LIVE members and with it will come the next evolution of connected entertainment on Xbox 360. Get ready to meet the many new faces of your Xbox 360; whether it’s new Avatar clothing and awards from Adidas or “Splosion Man”, or even a private home cinema, Xbox LIVE has something for you.

Movie night on Xbox LIVE
Browse, select and jump right into your favourite movies from the top genres: comedy, action, horror…even a tear-jerking chick flick. There are hundreds to choose from, with many in HD.

Avatars are people too!
Now thanks to Avatar Marketplace the options for customising your avatar are endless. With an ever-expanding selection of stores, full of premium outfits and accessories from your favourite games and fashion brands, you can express yourself through your Avatar like never before. Your Avatar’s one-stop-shop will launch with a growing collection from the top names in fashion and gaming including:

• Top Brands: Adidas, Quiksilver, Roxy, Tokidoki
• Unique Fashions: Steampunk, Recessionista
• Your Favourite Games: “BioShock 2,” “Halo 3,” “Halo 3: ODST,” “Gears of War 2,” “Fable II,” “The Secret of Monkey Island SE,” “Splinter: Cell Conviction,” “Star Wars Clone Wars: Republic Heroes”

You can also earn special Avatar clothes and items just by playing your favourite games, starting with a hot logo t-shirt from “Splosion Man,” the hit Xbox LIVE Arcade title that kicked-off off the 2nd annual Summer of Arcade. And to keep your Avatars from getting bored, we’re giving them fun new props to play with; everything from a basketball to pompoms, even a mobile phone…just try to stick with nights and weekends.

Full Xbox 360 games at the push of a button
Xbox 360 games: Games on Demand. Launching with a library of 21 great titles, Games on Demand marks the introduction of digitally distributed full Xbox 360 games: the titles you want, when you want them, straight to your Xbox 360 at the push of a button. You’ll also have the option to easily purchase Games on Demand titles directly via credit card.

From award-winning hits like “Mass Effect,” “and “Assassin’s Creed,” to family favourites like “LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga” and “Sonic the Hedgehog,” Games on Demand gives you access to a growing catalogue of full Xbox 360 titles, updated weekly and available to browse and download 24 x7 from the comfort of your couch. Check out our line-up at launch:

Assassin's Creed (Ubisoft)
Burnout Paradise (EA)
Call of Duty® 2 (Activision)
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Fight Night Round 3 (EA)
Kameo: Elements of Power (Microsoft Game Studios)
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga (LucasArts)
Mass Effect (Microsoft Game Studios)
Meet The Robinsons (Disney)
MX vs. ATV Untamed (THQ)
Need for Speed Carbon (EA)
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (EA)
Perfect Dark Zero (Microsoft Game Studios)
Prey (2K Games)
Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis (Rockstar Games)
Sega Rally (Sega)
TEST DRIVE: UNLIMITED (Atari)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas
Tomb Raider Legend (Eidos)
Viva Piñata (Microsoft Game Studios)
Viva Piñata 2: Trouble in Paradise (Microsoft Game Studios)

No more hide and seek
Now you can view, find and arrange your content on Xbox LIVE the way you want. Want to send a specific friend a message? Sort your friends list by Gamertag, status and even activity, so you can easily find the friends you want. There are also new options for viewing your Achievements and progress, improved matchmaking support and more.

Best of all, you can now rate every single piece of content on Xbox LIVE Games Marketplace using a five star system. Support your favourite XBLA game with a five star rating, or find the top-rated titles in the newly-updated Indie Games Marketplace – it’s never been easier to find the best and most beloved game content on Xbox LIVE.

Just the beginning…
The Xbox LIVE summer update brings all new ways to play games, and connect with friends or friendly rivals anywhere in the world. It’s another step toward realising the Xbox 360 promise of entertainment for everyone, and another reason why Xbox LIVE is hands down the best entertainment value in your living room. But this is just the beginning…

Coming soon, we’re bringing a whole new wave of partnerships and custom features straight to your Xbox 360 – instant on 1080p streaming video with 5.1 audio from Zune, personalised digital radio stations from Last.fm, and the biggest forces in social networking: Facebook and Twitter.

In the meantime, have fun with your Avatar, or download that classic Xbox 360 game you’ve been meaning to pick up. Sit back, relax and enjoy and stay tuned for the next evolution in connected entertainment, courtesy of Xbox LIVE.

SEGA announce Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll, the entertaining and exhilarating party game, is coming exclusively to the Nintendo Wii home video game system. The lovable characters from the original Super Monkey Ball – AiAi, MeeMee, GonGon and Baby – are back w