Archive for March 22nd, 2007
Aqua Teen Game Announced
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PC |

Midway has announced that it is developing Aqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am, an action-adventure combat golf and cart racing game for the PS2. To be released this Fall, the game follows the characters of the Cartoon Network Adult Swim show featuring the exploits of a trio of sentient fast-food items.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am is an epic, action-adventure combat golf, cart racing game that gives fans an opportunity to experience the Aqua Teen universe in a whole new way. When Frylock is admitted to the prestigious Jersey Pines Golf Club, Master Shake decides to show the uppity members that he is also just as good (and uppity) and deserves a place in their exclusive club. Meatwad is, of course, persuaded to join in, and the three crime-fighting food products use golf clubs and a variety of other weapons in ways not intended as they battle numerous villains, fan favorites and other show characters.

“Aqua Teen Hunger Force is a unique and completely hilarious property,” said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. “We are working closely with Aqua Teen creators Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis to bring the tone of the TV show and movie into a video game.”

“We are thrilled to be bringing the hilarious antics of Adult Swim’s Aqua Teen Hunger Force to a one of kind gaming experience,” said Christina Miller, VP of Consumer Products for Cartoon Network Enterprises, the network’s global merchandising division. “This game will set a new standard for crime-fighting, golf-obsessed, food battles.”

“This golden chalice represents a new age in gaming, the likes of which has never before been seen on this planet. The weak will tremble at the awesomeness of our full color, hand-made graphics!” said creators Maiellaro and Willis simultaneously and in unison.

Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun Announced
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PC |

The Adventure Company today announced that it will be releasing Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun this October. Based on the novel by the best-selling mystery author, Evil Under the Sun is the third installment in TAC’s successful Agatha Christie game series.

Famous detective Hercule Poirot is back in typical style, turning up at just the right time to begin an investigation into the murder of a famous actress during what should have been the start of a relaxing holiday.

Taking on the role of Hercule Poirot, players can scour a stunning tropical island for clues and delve deeper into the mysterious relationships between over 20 unique characters to search out the killer.

There are a number of added features and improvements that have been made to Evil Under the Sun based on player feedback, including a more streamlined inventory system, character dialogue choices that will impact events as the player progresses in the game, less repetitive detective footwork, and more diverse environments and locales to explore.

According to the announcement, AWE Games and Lee Sheldon have teamed up once again to create the various environments for the players to explore; they are also working on the puzzles and the cast of characters.

Last, but not least, Evil Under the Sun will be wholly Windows Vista compatible for those who have shifted to the new operating system.

AVENCAST Announced
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PC |

Lighthouse Interactive has announced that it has acquired the worldwide publishing rights to Austrian-based developer Clockstone Software’s action RPG AVENCAST: Rise of the Mage. Scheduled for release during the third quarter, the game combines the dynamics of an action game with adventure elements to offer an unique experience. Here’s the scoop:

As an apprentice, the player is expected to complete a number of diverse quests to hone their skills in potions, spell casting, weaponry, and melee combat. As the story unravels, your character’s purpose becomes clear -things at the academy are not as they appear and when Avencast is descended upon by demonic hordes the very survival of his world is at stake. Armed with over 60 different combat moves and spells, and over one hundred different equipment items plus variations, the player must fight various nightmarish creatures and transcend dimensions into the past. The intriguing plot thickens revealing treachery, deceit, the tragic destiny of a forgotten people, and an astonishing truth that will forever change the battle scarred Wizard.

The game will feature over 30 different monsters, special moves, RPG mechanics and more.

Guild Wars Expansion, Sequel Coming
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PC |

This Guild Wars Guru Forums thread offers word that ArenaNet is planning to ditch the Chapter format of the game, and will instead work on an expansion pack titled Eye of the North, as well as a full sequeul.

The Eye of the North expansion pack is set for a Holiday 2007 release; it will retail at a price point lower than the previous chapters. It will include new armor sets, new skills, new heroes and new areas. The storyline will also bridge the gap between Guild Wars and the upcoming sequel.

Guild Wars 2, as per the thread, will begin beta testing in 2008, and will feature four new races, changes many game elements and redefined PvP play, among other things. The sequel will, however, not allow current characters to migrate over, though achievements can be transferred through the Hall of Monuments. There are further details in the thread.

EA’s Euro PS3 Launch Lineup
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PS3 |

To coincide the PS3’s launch across Europe, EA today announced its launch lineup for the region, detailing these following titles - Def Jam: Icon, NBA Street Homecourt, Fight Night Round 3, Need for Speed: Carbon, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 and The Godfather: The Don’s Edition.

The publisher also states that the PS3 will receive major titles from its stable in the future, including Burnout 5, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, SKATE and Army of Two.

Further details on the above titles after jump.
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Jeanne d’Arc in America
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PSP |

SCEA has announced its intentions to bring Jeanne d’Arc to America for the PSP. Scheduled for release this August, this tactical RPG has been developed by Level-5, and offers over 40 hours of gameplay and more.

The Jeanne d’Arc story begins far in the past, when a great war was waged by mankind against demonic armies attempting to invade the human world. During that time, five brave heroes created armlets to restrain the demon gods. In a quest to turn back the rueful army, a young crusader named Jeanne is commanded by mysterious voices to use the power of the magical armlet to seal away the demon king and recover her homeland once and for all.

Set among sprawling fields, battle-torn villages, and intricate dungeons, Jeanne d’Arc unfolds through more than 40 expansive and highly detailed environments, where players will engage in the pursuit of France’s resurgence. Players will control up to 14 characters throughout the journey, including humans and beasts, as they battle a variety of enemies in the quest to turn back the English domination. Jeanne d’Arc delivers a strategic, turn-based battle system where players engage in unique team attacks and defensive schemes, using multiple characters’ skills in combination to create devastating strikes. Further adding to the depth of play, each character has access to one of eight weapon types that are also upgradeable as players’ progress through the game. Additionally, players can customize their characters with more than 150 different skills and abilities throughout the game.

New Line Picks Up Gears of War
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in Game Movie, Xbox 360 |

Variety reports that New Line has picked up the film rights to Gears of War. According to the article, Stuart Beattie (30 Days of Night) is penning the adaptation and Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey are producing via their Temple Hill banner.

The studio has signed the deal with Epic, who has held onto all ancillary rights to the property when Microsoft decided to publish the game. Apparently, Epic developed an extensive backstory in hopes of having the franchise move onto the big screen or novels.

“We wanted to make an entertainment property that’s not just for games but for other media,” said Epic VP and co-founder Mark Rein.

They are aiming for a Summer 2009 release; a director will be looked for once the script is completed. Cliff Bleszinski, lead designer on the game, is said to executive produce the film and consult on its development for Epic.

DIRT Title Confirmed, New Screenshots
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PC, PS3, Xbox 360 |

Codemasters has confirmed DIRT as the official title for the next entry in the Colin McRae rally series. The company also revealed that DIRT will now add races from U.S.-based C.O.R.R. (Championship Off-Road Racing) series into its mix of Rally, Hill Climb, Rally Raid, Rally Cross and Crossover events. DIRT is expected to launch this June for the PC and Xbox 360; it will hit the PS3 shortly thereafter.

Additionally, the company also released these new screenshots from the game:

Game Informer: Black X360 Coming!
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in Xbox 360 |

Black Xbox 360 Game InformerThose black Xbox 360 rumors are true after all: an article in the latest issue of Game Informer confirms that a black-colored Xbox 360 is actually in the works and that it”s going to be released next month.

As per the article, this “Elite” package will feature HDMI output, an HDMI cable and a 120GB harddrive for $480. It will not include a HD-DVD drive as Microsoft is still not sure of the format. The black Xbox 360 will be sold as a third SKU in limited quantities only.

Sam & Max Episode 5 Announced
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PC |

The next episode in the Sam & Max series has been announced: Reality 2.0. This fifth episode is due out on April 12; here’s a synopsis: “With an internet crisis looming and a viral video game holding its players hostage, Sam & Max will need to slip into a new reality to set things right. But can the Freelance Police crack this virtual case in time to avoid worldwide system failure?”

New screenshots and videos can be found here.

Run n’ Drive Gamepad
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PC, PS2, PS3 |

Thrustmaster has announced the Run n’ Drive 3 in 1 gamepad for the PC, PS2 and PS3. Designed for FPS, flight simulators and racing games, among others, the gamepad lets gamers shine in any type of game.

The most interesting feature is the optical wheel: it is fitted with an optical sensor that allows sharp precision. It also includes a mapping feature, enabling players to switch all buttons, triggers, mini-sticks and optical wheel functions to suit their individual needs. They can also apply their favorite gaming configurations and save them in the pad’s internal memory.

The pad will be available starting tomorrow in the UK for £23.

Sega’s Euro PS3 Launch Lineup
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PS3 |

Anticipating the launch of the PS3 in Europe tomorrow, Sega has announced its Euro launch lineup, which consists of Virtua Fighter 5, Virtua Tennis 3, Sonic the Hedgehog, Full Auto 2: Battlelines and World Snooker Championship 2007.

Further information on these titles after the jump.
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Circus Empire Announced
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PC |

Now you can run away to your own designed circus: Enlight Interactive has announced Circus Empire, the first ever 3D circus simulation game. As expected, players will be able to design their own circus, complete with trapeze artists, lion tamers, clowns and a variety of other performers.

The game will feature over 70 performers and a story campaign that spans across the world. It will also let players simulate the business aspects of running a circus, including hiring, training, scheduling and financial management.

Circus Empire will juggle its way to the PC this May; it will retail for $20.

Hei$t Announced
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 in PC, PS3, Xbox 360 |

Codemasters has announced HEI$T, an all-new crime simulator set in 1969 San Fransisco. Being developed by inXile Entertainment (The Bard’s Tale), the game has players taking over a group of renegade criminals as they rob, steal and shoot their way throughout the city, while setting their sight on the big score - taking the San Fransisco Mint. The game is expected to ship during the fourth quarter for next-gen consoles and PC.

It’s 1969, the summer of love in San Francisco. Enter Johnny Sutton, fresh out of jail and a descendant from a long line of big-time thieves, including his father who was gunned down during a job some years back. Playing as Johnny, and together with his Uncle Sal and reunited crew, players are set pull off dozens of heists that will inevitably make a name for him as the greatest bank robber of all time.

In addition to knocking off banks, each with their own set security precautions, throughout the city, players will be highly motivated to pull off further jobs. These include raiding bars, restaurants, strip clubs, armoured cars, and more in order to acquire the bigger and better tools needed to penetrate the increasingly more difficult banks.

And what great bank robbery is complete without ending in a hot pursuit police chase? After each hit, HEI$T™ will challenge players to make a quick getaway, speeding and screeching through the streets of San Francisco as the cops trail inches behind. The Fuzz will do everything within their means to prevent the great escape; they will bump and ram, form barricades, and attempt to force PIT maneuvers to spin the getaway vehicle out of control - always trying to keep civilian losses to a minimum of course.

Below are the first two screenshots from the project.