Archives for February, 2008
Posted on 2008 under Nintendo DS |
13
Feb
We’re going to get a pretty well-rounded batch of releases this week (check out last week’s release here), from RPGs to RPG makers, epic remakes of classic games, a whodunnit title, and much much more. We’re going to see a new noteworthy addition to the horror gaming library, such as Penumbra: Black Plague. But perhaps we can safely say that the shining star this time around is…
Lost Odyssey. Play as Kaim, the immortal man sentenced to live for a thousand years, and subsequently witness the deaths of all his closest friends, all of whom he outlived. Lost Odyssey’s story revolves around Kaim, the generations he bore witness to, and the mystical industrial revolution.
- Xbox 360 - February 13
- US 59.99
- ESRB Teen
- Mistwalker, Feelplus
Conflict: Denied Ops. Play as one of the elite operatives working for the country’s security. Focusing on a mutual effort between two characters, gamers can freely switch between two team mates as they plow through enemies. In Conflict: Denied Ops, the members are not to be identified or associated with the government, hence the title.
Penumbra: Black Plague. The sequel to Penumbra: Overture, Black Plague picks up the tale of psychological horror that made the first game remarkable. The second game in the Penumbra series, Black Plague will be the series’ conclusion.
Jumper: Griffin’s Story. Based on the upcoming movie of the same name, the game adaptation lets gamers get into the shoes of Jumpers, people who can teleport to anywhere in the world.
- Wii, Xbox 360, PS2 - February 13
- US 49.99 (Wii), US 59.99 (Xbox 360), US 39.99 (PS2)
- ESRB Rating Pending
- Brash Entertainment
Professor Layton and the Curious Village. Help Professor Layton and his apprentice in solving the mystery that lies in a mysterious village. Filled with nicely rendered cutscenes and a chock-full of puzzles to solve, Professor Layton is going to be a tough nut to crack, albeit a fun one.
- Nintendo DS - February 12
- US 29.99
- ESRB Rating Everyone
- Level -5, Nintendo
Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts. Both the DS and PSP versions of Dungeon Explorer: Warrior of the Ancient Arts are roughly based on the 1989 TurboGrafx game of the same name. The PSP version of Dungeon Explorer will focus more on in-depth customization, while Dungeon Explorer for the DS will sport extended multiplayer capabilities.
Dark Messiah of Might & Magic: Elements. Take control of Sareth as you try to search for the Skull of Shadows, and plow through undead cyclops, ghouls, and other nefarious creatures. A port of the PC game Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, the Xbox 360 version features many extras, such as 3 new secret levels, new objectives, and gameplay.
- Xbox 360 - February 13
- US 59.99
- ESRB Mature
Spaceforce: Captains. A turn-based strategy game, Spaceforce: Captains is all about taking control over the galaxy by the means of creating a space station and a kick-ass space fleet.
- PC - February 5
- US 29.99
- ESRB Rating Pending
- Dreamcatcher Interactive, Ubisoft
Sam & Max Season 2 Episode 203: Night of the Raving Dead. Join Sam and Max in the the third episode of their exploit’s second season. This time, Sam and Max must deal with a horde of zombies and their leader, an emo, Eurotrash vampire.
- PC - February 14
- Dreamcatcher Interactive
Carrier Strike Force. If you’ve ever dreamt of becoming a naval aviator, this PC simulation is just the thing for you. You’ll be flying such top of the line fighter-bombers as the new F-35, the Rafale M, and the Harrier from three famous floating fortresses. Everything from take-off to landing is true to reality so train hard and be all you can be.
- PC - February 13
- US 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Abacus Software
WipEout Pulse. The newest entry to the surreal WipEout racing series, Pulse will have new downloadable content packs every week, which includes new crafts as well as tracks.
- PSP - February 13
- US 29.99
- ESRB Everyone
- Sony Computer Entertainment
RPG Maker VX. Enterbrain’s next title for the RPG Maker series presents new, nifty features such as the Help function, which aids new and inexperienced RPG Maker users easily create doors to teleport to other places, assign Inn commands, among others.
My Horse and Me. Dreaming of winning equestrian competitions but feel that you don’t have the chance of make it come true? At least you’ll have Atari’s My Horse and Me, which allows equestrian fans to enter international competitions and care for their steeds as well.
- PC - February 12
- US 19.99 (PC)
- ESRB Everyone
- Atari and W!Games
Article originally posted Feb 11, 2008 at 01:12AM
Buy: [Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Conflict: Denied Ops (Xbox 360), (PS3), (PC)]
Buy: [Penumbra: Black Plague (PC)]
Buy: [Jumper: Griffin’s Story (Wii), (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Professor Layton and the Curious Village (DS)]
Buy: [Dungeon Explorer: Warrior of Ancient Arts (DS), (PSP)]
Buy: [Dark Messiah of Might & Magic: Elements (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Spaceforce: Captains (PC)]
Buy: [Carrier Strike Force (PC)]
Buy: [WipEout Pulse (PSP)]
Buy: [My Horse and Me (PC)]
Posted on 2008 under Nintendo DS |
13
Feb
David Yarnton, general manager of Nintendo UK, was recently interviewed concerning the success of the Nintendo platforms, the Wii and the DS. Yarnton talked about the future of the two platforms and how they’ll stand up to the test of time.
One can only wonder how the platforms can keep up their momentum. The Nintendo DS, for example, has enjoyed high sales in Japan for a long time now, but sales declined heavily last week for some reason.
Yarnton explains that to keep the momentum of the DS, Nintendo UK will be focusing on creating new software titles as well as building on existing franchises. They have releases from franchises that they believe will be a “chart presence” for years to come.
As for the Wii, Yarnton remains confident of its success in the future, saying that it is still strong in both the hardware and software market:
Wii is still in high demand and in the space of twelve months we have become the top selling next-gen format with the highest installed base in the UK. This is due in part to the fantastic content we have available for our systems, and from the strong ongoing support from third party publishers. We are as confident as is possible that Wii has a solid future.
Posted on 2008 under Nintendo DS |
13
Feb
Homebrew developer Lino has has released the newest version of iDeaS, a Nintendo DS emulator, only this time the application’s been updated for the Linux OS.
Like the PC version, iDeaS 1.0.2.1 for the Linux has OpenGL and DirectSound Plugins. Note that Linux users need the GTK 2.0 toolkit to run this app. Here’s the changelog for iDeaS 1.0.2.1 for the Linux:
- Fixed a bug in creation Accelerators Table.
- Fixed a bug in Texture Coordinates Transformation.
- Fixed a bug in Import Saves.
- Fixed a bug in cycles S and N (Jump Super Star Demo).
- Fixed a bug in Plugins management.
- Add support for DLDI Plugins.
- A lot of speed up, added Optimize CPUs PipeLine and Optimize Loops.
- Direct Sound PlugIn
- Fixed a bug in Sycronize Routines.
- Fixed a bug in GetCurrentPosition Routines.
Download: iDeaS v1.0.2.1 (Linux)
Posted on 2008 under Nintendo DS |
13
Feb
Devil May Cry 4 - only on its first week out on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and the PC - dominated the UK charts for the week ending on February 9. Looks like the 20-minute install time didn’t deter gamers from appreciating the game.
Turok (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC), also on its first week out, also made the charts at third place. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, which entered the charts at first place last December, is still going strong at second place.
Last week’s chart topper, Burnout Paradise, has slowed down a bit on fourth place while newcomer The Club enters the charts at ninth place. Here are the rest of the top 20 entries for the week of February 9:
- Devil May Cry 4
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
- Burnout Paradise
- Wii Play
- PDC World Championship Darts 08
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training
- The Club
- FIFA 08
- Conflict: Denied OPS
- More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima
- The Simpsons Game
- Carnical: Funfair Games
- Assassin’s Creed
- Professor Kageyama’s Maths Training
- WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008
- Need for Speed: ProStreet
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
- New Super Mario Bros.
Posted on 2008 under Wii |
13
Feb
We’re going to get a pretty well-rounded batch of releases this week (check out last week’s release here), from RPGs to RPG makers, epic remakes of classic games, a whodunnit title, and much much more. We’re going to see a new noteworthy addition to the horror gaming library, such as Penumbra: Black Plague. But perhaps we can safely say that the shining star this time around is…
Lost Odyssey. Play as Kaim, the immortal man sentenced to live for a thousand years, and subsequently witness the deaths of all his closest friends, all of whom he outlived. Lost Odyssey’s story revolves around Kaim, the generations he bore witness to, and the mystical industrial revolution.
- Xbox 360 - February 13
- US 59.99
- ESRB Teen
- Mistwalker, Feelplus
Conflict: Denied Ops. Play as one of the elite operatives working for the country’s security. Focusing on a mutual effort between two characters, gamers can freely switch between two team mates as they plow through enemies. In Conflict: Denied Ops, the members are not to be identified or associated with the government, hence the title.
Penumbra: Black Plague. The sequel to Penumbra: Overture, Black Plague picks up the tale of psychological horror that made the first game remarkable. The second game in the Penumbra series, Black Plague will be the series’ conclusion.
Jumper: Griffin’s Story. Based on the upcoming movie of the same name, the game adaptation lets gamers get into the shoes of Jumpers, people who can teleport to anywhere in the world.
- Wii, Xbox 360, PS2 - February 13
- US 49.99 (Wii), US 59.99 (Xbox 360), US 39.99 (PS2)
- ESRB Rating Pending
- Brash Entertainment
Professor Layton and the Curious Village. Help Professor Layton and his apprentice in solving the mystery that lies in a mysterious village. Filled with nicely rendered cutscenes and a chock-full of puzzles to solve, Professor Layton is going to be a tough nut to crack, albeit a fun one.
- Nintendo DS - February 12
- US 29.99
- ESRB Rating Everyone
- Level -5, Nintendo
Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts. Both the DS and PSP versions of Dungeon Explorer: Warrior of the Ancient Arts are roughly based on the 1989 TurboGrafx game of the same name. The PSP version of Dungeon Explorer will focus more on in-depth customization, while Dungeon Explorer for the DS will sport extended multiplayer capabilities.
Dark Messiah of Might & Magic: Elements. Take control of Sareth as you try to search for the Skull of Shadows, and plow through undead cyclops, ghouls, and other nefarious creatures. A port of the PC game Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, the Xbox 360 version features many extras, such as 3 new secret levels, new objectives, and gameplay.
- Xbox 360 - February 13
- US 59.99
- ESRB Mature
Spaceforce: Captains. A turn-based strategy game, Spaceforce: Captains is all about taking control over the galaxy by the means of creating a space station and a kick-ass space fleet.
- PC - February 5
- US 29.99
- ESRB Rating Pending
- Dreamcatcher Interactive, Ubisoft
Sam & Max Season 2 Episode 203: Night of the Raving Dead. Join Sam and Max in the the third episode of their exploit’s second season. This time, Sam and Max must deal with a horde of zombies and their leader, an emo, Eurotrash vampire.
- PC - February 14
- Dreamcatcher Interactive
Carrier Strike Force. If you’ve ever dreamt of becoming a naval aviator, this PC simulation is just the thing for you. You’ll be flying such top of the line fighter-bombers as the new F-35, the Rafale M, and the Harrier from three famous floating fortresses. Everything from take-off to landing is true to reality so train hard and be all you can be.
- PC - February 13
- US 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Abacus Software
WipEout Pulse. The newest entry to the surreal WipEout racing series, Pulse will have new downloadable content packs every week, which includes new crafts as well as tracks.
- PSP - February 13
- US 29.99
- ESRB Everyone
- Sony Computer Entertainment
RPG Maker VX. Enterbrain’s next title for the RPG Maker series presents new, nifty features such as the Help function, which aids new and inexperienced RPG Maker users easily create doors to teleport to other places, assign Inn commands, among others.
My Horse and Me. Dreaming of winning equestrian competitions but feel that you don’t have the chance of make it come true? At least you’ll have Atari’s My Horse and Me, which allows equestrian fans to enter international competitions and care for their steeds as well.
- PC - February 12
- US 19.99 (PC)
- ESRB Everyone
- Atari and W!Games
Article originally posted Feb 11, 2008 at 01:12AM
Buy: [Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Conflict: Denied Ops (Xbox 360), (PS3), (PC)]
Buy: [Penumbra: Black Plague (PC)]
Buy: [Jumper: Griffin’s Story (Wii), (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Professor Layton and the Curious Village (DS)]
Buy: [Dungeon Explorer: Warrior of Ancient Arts (DS), (PSP)]
Buy: [Dark Messiah of Might & Magic: Elements (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Spaceforce: Captains (PC)]
Buy: [Carrier Strike Force (PC)]
Buy: [WipEout Pulse (PSP)]
Buy: [My Horse and Me (PC)]
Posted on 2008 under Games for windows |
13
Feb
We’re going to get a pretty well-rounded batch of releases this week (check out last week’s release here), from RPGs to RPG makers, epic remakes of classic games, a whodunnit title, and much much more. We’re going to see a new noteworthy addition to the horror gaming library, such as Penumbra: Black Plague. But perhaps we can safely say that the shining star this time around is…
Lost Odyssey. Play as Kaim, the immortal man sentenced to live for a thousand years, and subsequently witness the deaths of all his closest friends, all of whom he outlived. Lost Odyssey’s story revolves around Kaim, the generations he bore witness to, and the mystical industrial revolution.
- Xbox 360 - February 13
- US 59.99
- ESRB Teen
- Mistwalker, Feelplus
Conflict: Denied Ops. Play as one of the elite operatives working for the country’s security. Focusing on a mutual effort between two characters, gamers can freely switch between two team mates as they plow through enemies. In Conflict: Denied Ops, the members are not to be identified or associated with the government, hence the title.
Penumbra: Black Plague. The sequel to Penumbra: Overture, Black Plague picks up the tale of psychological horror that made the first game remarkable. The second game in the Penumbra series, Black Plague will be the series’ conclusion.
Jumper: Griffin’s Story. Based on the upcoming movie of the same name, the game adaptation lets gamers get into the shoes of Jumpers, people who can teleport to anywhere in the world.
- Wii, Xbox 360, PS2 - February 13
- US 49.99 (Wii), US 59.99 (Xbox 360), US 39.99 (PS2)
- ESRB Rating Pending
- Brash Entertainment
Professor Layton and the Curious Village. Help Professor Layton and his apprentice in solving the mystery that lies in a mysterious village. Filled with nicely rendered cutscenes and a chock-full of puzzles to solve, Professor Layton is going to be a tough nut to crack, albeit a fun one.
- Nintendo DS - February 12
- US 29.99
- ESRB Rating Everyone
- Level -5, Nintendo
Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts. Both the DS and PSP versions of Dungeon Explorer: Warrior of the Ancient Arts are roughly based on the 1989 TurboGrafx game of the same name. The PSP version of Dungeon Explorer will focus more on in-depth customization, while Dungeon Explorer for the DS will sport extended multiplayer capabilities.
Dark Messiah of Might & Magic: Elements. Take control of Sareth as you try to search for the Skull of Shadows, and plow through undead cyclops, ghouls, and other nefarious creatures. A port of the PC game Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, the Xbox 360 version features many extras, such as 3 new secret levels, new objectives, and gameplay.
- Xbox 360 - February 13
- US 59.99
- ESRB Mature
Spaceforce: Captains. A turn-based strategy game, Spaceforce: Captains is all about taking control over the galaxy by the means of creating a space station and a kick-ass space fleet.
- PC - February 5
- US 29.99
- ESRB Rating Pending
- Dreamcatcher Interactive, Ubisoft
Sam & Max Season 2 Episode 203: Night of the Raving Dead. Join Sam and Max in the the third episode of their exploit’s second season. This time, Sam and Max must deal with a horde of zombies and their leader, an emo, Eurotrash vampire.
- PC - February 14
- Dreamcatcher Interactive
Carrier Strike Force. If you’ve ever dreamt of becoming a naval aviator, this PC simulation is just the thing for you. You’ll be flying such top of the line fighter-bombers as the new F-35, the Rafale M, and the Harrier from three famous floating fortresses. Everything from take-off to landing is true to reality so train hard and be all you can be.
- PC - February 13
- US 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Abacus Software
WipEout Pulse. The newest entry to the surreal WipEout racing series, Pulse will have new downloadable content packs every week, which includes new crafts as well as tracks.
- PSP - February 13
- US 29.99
- ESRB Everyone
- Sony Computer Entertainment
RPG Maker VX. Enterbrain’s next title for the RPG Maker series presents new, nifty features such as the Help function, which aids new and inexperienced RPG Maker users easily create doors to teleport to other places, assign Inn commands, among others.
My Horse and Me. Dreaming of winning equestrian competitions but feel that you don’t have the chance of make it come true? At least you’ll have Atari’s My Horse and Me, which allows equestrian fans to enter international competitions and care for their steeds as well.
- PC - February 12
- US 19.99 (PC)
- ESRB Everyone
- Atari and W!Games
Article originally posted Feb 11, 2008 at 01:12AM
Buy: [Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Conflict: Denied Ops (Xbox 360), (PS3), (PC)]
Buy: [Penumbra: Black Plague (PC)]
Buy: [Jumper: Griffin’s Story (Wii), (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Professor Layton and the Curious Village (DS)]
Buy: [Dungeon Explorer: Warrior of Ancient Arts (DS), (PSP)]
Buy: [Dark Messiah of Might & Magic: Elements (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Spaceforce: Captains (PC)]
Buy: [Carrier Strike Force (PC)]
Buy: [WipEout Pulse (PSP)]
Buy: [My Horse and Me (PC)]
Posted on 2008 under Games for windows |
13
Feb
Blizzcon isn’t the only Blizzard event where you can catch the latest from the studio that brought us the Warcraft and Starcraft games. Blizzard has just announced that tickets will soon be available for the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational.
This year marks the fourth Worldwide Invitational and the first time the convention will be coming to Paris. The Worldwide Invitational is a two day event and will be held on June 28 and 29 in Hall 5 of the Porte de Versailles Exposition Center in Paris, France.
Unlike last year, entrance won’t be free. Tickets will be out within the next few weeks and will be available for EUR 70 (GBP 55, around US 105). The event will have the expected Starcraft and Warcraft tournaments and other events:
- Discussion panels with Blizzard Entertainment developers
- Artist and developer signings
- Hands-on play with World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King and StarCraft II
- Merchandise and other products based on the Blizzard Entertainment game universes
- A silent auction
- Musical performances
- And more exciting activities to be announced
Posted on 2008 under Nintendo DS |
13
Feb
Can’t wait to find out more about LucasArts and Traveller’s Tales’ Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (PS3, PSP, Wii, DS, Xbox 360, PC)? Well, you might be interested to know that we’ve got some new screenshots of the game.
Fans of Dr. Jones will be happy to find that the screenshots show off some of the more iconic scenes in the life of the esteemed archaeologist such as running from a giant boulder to fending off crocodiles with nothing but rocks.
We’re pretty sure that you can’t wait to check out the screenshots for yourself, so here they are. Enjoy!
Posted on 2008 under Games for windows |
13
Feb
Devil May Cry 4 - only on its first week out on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and the PC - dominated the UK charts for the week ending on February 9. Looks like the 20-minute install time didn’t deter gamers from appreciating the game.
Turok (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC), also on its first week out, also made the charts at third place. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, which entered the charts at first place last December, is still going strong at second place.
Last week’s chart topper, Burnout Paradise, has slowed down a bit on fourth place while newcomer The Club enters the charts at ninth place. Here are the rest of the top 20 entries for the week of February 9:
- Devil May Cry 4
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
- Burnout Paradise
- Wii Play
- PDC World Championship Darts 08
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training
- The Club
- FIFA 08
- Conflict: Denied OPS
- More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima
- The Simpsons Game
- Carnical: Funfair Games
- Assassin’s Creed
- Professor Kageyama’s Maths Training
- WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008
- Need for Speed: ProStreet
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
- New Super Mario Bros.
Posted on 2008 under Nintendo DS |
13
Feb
What makes a great game? Some people would look back and remember the best games having great gameplay, some would say it’s the fun factor. For Ubisoft Montreal CEO Yannis Mallat, the best games are the ones that produce an emotional experience.
This was the idea behind his DICE Summit presentation where he presented a video featuring Bambi clips being played to an Evanescence track. His point is that it’s not technology that defines the game, but rather it is only a tool for an underlying message:
The example of Bambi was especially to showcase that emotion goes through art, realization, assets, the way they are put together, and the way especially the game mechanics make the player interact with those assets.
[…] Game development, in my opinion, should focus on making sure that the technology that is behind the game is actually seen as a tool, a means for developers to express their own meaning, their own message.
And that message is often very, very much emotional. At least, this is what we’ve seen in all the very good games.
This doesn’t mean that games that don’t focus on delivering an emotional response aren’t good games. He does go on to say, however, that “all of the […] most praised games […] are actually focusing on the emotional message” from the creative team and director.
But casual games do have their place in gamers’ hearts of course. Mallat says that Ubisoft Montreal will be focusing on the DS with a new casual division. The studio also has Wii titles in the works and they’re “going to be able to talk about [it] soon.”
