Following up on their episodic format for Alone in the Dark, Atari has announced that the game will feature a DVD-style chapter menu, which will allow players to rewind or fast-forward through the game. Players can play through any chapter they want, whenever they want. However, the ending will only be unlocked once the full game has been played through.

It will also feature a “previously on…” cinematic before each chapter, showing gameplay and story moments from past sessions.

Alone in the Dark is due out next month for PC, PS2, Xbox 360 and Wii. A PS3 version is in the works for release later this year.

Further hyping the upcoming Alone in the Dark game, Atari and Milan Records today announced their collaboration to release the soundtrack for the horror game on May 24. The score was composed by Olivier Deriveire and performed by world famous, Grammy Award-winning choir The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices.

“For its first release of a video game soundtrack, Milan Records is very proud to be associated with such a classic series as Alone in the Dark,” said Nick Bobetsky, VP Sales and Marketing, MILAN RECORDS. “This is an original and powerful soundtrack, which goes beyond what you would normally expect in a video game.”

The game itself will ship to stores on June 20 and June 24 in Europe and North America, respectively, for PS2, Wii, PC and Xbox 360; the PS3 version will be released sometime later this year. Below is the full track listing for the soundtrack:

1. Prelude to an End
   
2. Edward Carnby
   
3. The Fissure
   
4. Collapsing Floors
   
5. The Façade
   
6. Reception Hall
   
7. The Humanz
   
8. Who Am I?
   
9. Central Park
   
10. Crying NY
    
11. Loneliness
    
12. Bethesda Fight
    
13. Killing The Fissure
    
14. No More Humans
    
15. Truth
    
16. Niamam
    
17. The Light Carrier Test
    
18. Shto Li (A cappella)
    
19. The Final Gate
    
20. The Choice
    
21. An End for a Prelude

Atari today announced that Asterix at the Olympic Games is coming to the Xbox 360 this Summer. Making his jump to the current-gen machines, Asterix will have to go through various physical challenges as well as problem-solving. There will be two modes - the adventure mode tells the story of the characters, while the antique mode will let players compete in over ten disciplines as 12 playable characters.

The game will blend live action elements from the recently released film. It is already available on PS2, PC, Wii and DS.

Those who still have the time-bending TimeShift game will be glad to know that five brand new maps for the game’s multiplayer mode have been released. The maps support all forms of gameplay modes, including One-on-One, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch as well as Capture the Flag.

As per a feature in this month’s issue of Games for Windows magazine, Eden Games has delayed Alone in the Dark (PC, PS2, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360). The game, originally expected this March, will now be released in September.

In a recent interview with Electric Design, Atari co-founder and gaming pioneer Nolan Bushnell commented that games nowadays are “pure, unadulterated trash” and that he is “sad” for the current situation.

“We used to have families sit down and play a game together,” he added. “A lot of video games today are very isolated. You don’t see mom and dad, sister and brother, sitting down like they used to play, say, Monopoly. That represented good mentoring time for families that just isn’t happening now.”

Bushnell has most recently worked on uWink, a series of interactive restaurants that feature touch-screen terminals with which customers can order food and drinks, as well as play games, watch movie trailers, videos and more.

Those looking for more awesome Neverwinter Nights 2 action won’t have to wait much longer: Atari has announced an Adventure Pack for the game that will be made available exclusively by digital download. Created by Atari and some of the most prominent members of the NWN2 communities, Mysteries of Westgate will offer a new storyline, professional voice acting, new musical scores, new in-game content and more.

Set in the infamous Forgotten Realms city of Westgate, players find themselves in possession of a powerful but cursed treasure that threatens to destroy them. Linked to the underworld organization known as the Night Masks, the treasure will draw players into a city-spanning clash between warring factions. Players must choose their allegiance in order to break the curse and ultimately uncover a plot that threatens Westgate itself.

The expansion will feature a non-linear, open-ended single-player campaign with numerous side quests covering more than 15 hours of game play. It will also feature 3 new companions, an entirely new underground sewers tile set, new monsters and more. It is scheduled for release later this Fall.

Atari has entered an agreement with Gamecock to co-publish Legendary: The Box, an upcoming first-person shooter, in PAL territories. The game is in development for release during Summer 2008 on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

In development at Spark Unlimited, the game tells the story of a thief who is duped into stealing the mythical Pandora’s Box. Upon opening it, hordes of creatures storm the real world and it is up to the player to send them back to where they came from.

Some new screenshots were released to celebrate the announcement.

Atari has announced that Godzilla: Unleashed will also be released for the PS2 in addition to Wii and DS. In the works at Pipeworks, the game is scheduled for release later this year on all platforms.

“Bringing Godzilla: Unleashed to the vast PlayStation 2 audience as well as the massive and growing Wii and DS fanbase is another feather in the cap of Atari’s growing publishing line up,” said Mathias Hautefort, Executive VP of publishing and production, Atari. “The Godzilla license is a global phenomenon and Atari has a successful history of putting the player in control of everyone’s favourite monster. This most recent collaboration with independent studio Pipeworks will result in yet another must-have monster romp.”

Unleashed is a fighting game starring the legendary Japanese monster and a host of more than 20 of the most renowned monsters of all time. It features nine areas, 3D cityscapes, destructible environment and more. The PS2 version of the game will feature some new monsters not found on the Wii and DS versions of the game.

Atari has announced Lucky Luke: Go West! For PC, Wii and Nintendo DS. An upcoming animated movie tie-in of the same name, the game features the film’s titular character set loose in the Wild West. The film itself is set for release this December in France and other European territories, following the game’s release in Autumn.

Inspired by the cucumber-cool cowboy’s adventures in the comic book ‘The Caravan’, Lucky Luke: Go West! lets players jump into his spurred boots for a thrill-a-minute journey escorting the notorious Dalton brothers to New York to stand trial. Of course, the Daltons do what they do best – they escape, rob banks, wreak havoc and blow stuff up. Throw in the tenacious Lucky Luke, his faithful steed Jolly Jumper, tribes of deadly Indians, cops by the cart-load, and a vast wagon train where the Daltons mislay their ill-gotten gains and the result is a wild world of hilarious new western adventures.

Play as a selection of different characters from the famous stories, including the Daltons and of course Luke himself, through the fun and colourful environments from the parched western desert to the mean streets of the Big Apple. A host of frenetic mini-games will test much more than the speed of the player’s draw with chaotic shooting, drawing, steering, dancing and music games. Take on the story mode solo or invite up to 3 friends to join in for party mode mayhem and see who really does have the fastest draw in the west.

Shooting faster than his shadow, Lucky Luke fights crime and injustice across the wild plains of the old west. Lucky Luke is one of the most popular and best-selling comic-book series in Europe with more than 250 million comic books sold in 20 countries. A total of 80 comic books, four feature length animated cartoons, two live action films, three cartoon series and five video games have been released to date, and the award-winning ‘The New Adventures of Lucky Luke’ animated TV series is currently broadcast in more than 20 countries worldwide from France to Indonesia.

The game is in development at Tate Interactive (PC, Wii) and Neko (DS). It is only currently scheduled for Europe; no plans for other territories were announced.

Some new screenshots from Alone in the Dark.

Atari has announced Atari Classics Evolved, homage to its landmark catalogue, for the PSP. It is being developed by Stainless Games and is set for release this Fall.

The retro compilation will feature the following eleven classics: Asteroids, Asteroids Deluxe, Battlezone, Centipede, Lunar Lander, Millipede, Missile Command, Super Breakout, Tempest, Warlords and Pong. These titles will be presented in both an original and evolved version, maintaining the original gameplay while updating the graphics. In adition to the above games, there will also be more than 60 original Atari 2600 titles, including Yar’s Revenge, Night Driver, Canyon Bomber and Crystal Castles.

The abovementioned games will feature online leaderboards and will also support wireless multiplayer modes.

Hoping to cash in on the upcoming live action film, Atari has announced details of Asterix at the Olympic Games for PS2, PC, Wii and DS. The game is scheduled for release this Winter, ahead of the film’s release in early 2008.

Developed by Etranges Libellules in close collaboration with Asterix licensor Les Editions Albert René and with film production company La Petite Reine, the game follows Asterix, Obelix and the faithful Dogmatix as they travel to Greece in aid of their lovesick friend Alafolix. Their journey takes them to the Olympic Games where they find themselves pitted against the athletic might of the Roman Empire. Adventure and hilarity ensue as Asterix and friends compete to get the better of Brutus, his muscle-bound champion, and their long-time nemesis, Julius Caesar himself.

In Asterix at the Olympic Games players can choose from three playable characters, Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix, in an original story which takes a parallel course to the film and the comic book. Our heroes must stop Brutus who has opened the gates between the worlds of the book, the film and the game while still finding time and energy to triumph at the Olympic Games themselves. The mini-game mode lets players compete in Olympic challenges with their chosen character, while two-player multiplayer lets friends go head to head in a series of hilarious contests.

No media or screenshots were released. More information on the movie itself can be found on IMDB.

As part of its re-launch strategy Infogrames has announced that it has signed a new agreement with Hasbro concering the Dungeons & Dragons universe. Under the new contract, the company has the right to create games based on the D&D universe up to 2017 for all platforms, including online and wireless. The agreement also covers current products such as Baldur’s Gate and NeverWinter Nights, as well as two new games that will be shipping between 2007 and 2008 - NeverWinter Nights 2 expansion pack (PC) and Dungeons & Dragons Tactics (PSP).

The contract also reveals that Hasbro has bought back nine franchises - Monopoly, Scrabble, Risk, Game of Life, Clue, Yahtzee, Battleship, Boggle and Simon - for $19.5 million of which $4 million will be paid to Atari.

If the title seems disturbing to you, too, then you are not alone. Atari has announced that it will publish My Horse and Me, a horseback riding and equestrian lifestyle video game for the PC, Wii and DS. The game boasts of having the world’s first and only license from the foremost horse sports organization, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI).

Delivering all the excitement and fun of the equestrian life, from sports and leisure riding to horse care, My Horse and Me is a unique gaming experience for anyone with an interest or passion for horses. The game features the most accurate horse models and animations yet realized in a video game, alongside a richly rewarding game play experience, all set against a beautiful backdrop of charming indoor and outdoor environments.

My Horse and Me has a rich variety of game play modes and options to give players a deep and rewarding experience. The Championship mode lets the player take part in competitions at indoor and outdoor locations around the globe ranging from rustic stables and classical riding schools to world-class tournament locations. A series of fun mini-games offer a variety of game play experiences alongside rewarding horse care game play and extensive customization.

The game is being developed by W! Games and will be released this Fall.