Now that the New Xbox Experience has launched, Novaleaf Game Studio sends word that they will officially release Biology Battle as a launch title of Xbox Live Community Games today.

One of the many titles built by users themselves, Biology Battle is an unique take on the classic space shooter genre, having players take control of medical nano-bots during its mission inside of its target cell. It includes 360 degree movement and firing and offers both single-player and multiplayer modes.

The studio notes that it was created using XNA in Bangkok, Thailand, completed by “4.5 developers in 11 months.”

EA today revealed that Wing Commander Arena, a 2D space shooter from Gaia Industries, will be hitting Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday. It is a spin-off of the original Wing Commander franchise and will offer eight maps supporting three styles of play: team, free for all, and dueling. There will also be a single-player mode.

Wing Commander Arena will be sold at 800 Microsoft points.

Sending out a highly humorous press release, Kalypso Media today announced Star Assault, a space shooter for the PC. Here’s the deal:

When humankind took to the stars to search out new energy sources, rapid successes brought huge rewards in the advancement of travel, exploration and colonisation. Some thought they had taken it too far, they were right. In 2253 the human pioneers found themselves under brutal attack from the vicious alien race dubbed the Sparks. Cut off from Earth due to the destruction of their warp gate, their only route back, the intrepid explorers now must battle for their very survival, and maybe even a way home.

A rich story-based campaign offers players the chance to pilot a star fighter and accomplish the death-defying missions against the Sparks. From humble beginnings in a small ship, players can work their way through the ranks, improve their skills and eventually command wingmen in battle. Complex opponent A.I. ensures you won’t be mastering any predetermined attack patterns, while real-time space jumps make getting from A to B just that bit faster.

Between missions, upgrading one’s fly machine is essential to avoid an early union with the great beyond. Shields, reactors and propulsion can be adjusted and replaced in order to stay one step ahead of the enemy. Weapons vary from lasers and rail guns to heat seekers and rockets to give you all the firepower you could possibly need to see off your grizzly foe. Star Assault will offer galactic battles to warm the hearts of any sci-fi shooter fan, and not an angry Colin Farrell in sight.

The game is set for release this September; it will retail for £20.

Posted before the weekend, but unnoticed somehow, is a Steam update that hypes the newly released SiN: Emergence game as well as the upcoming first Episode for Half-Life 2. The update also discusses maps for Counter-Strike and Day of Defeat Source, stating that new maps for the multiplayer shooters will be released soon:

Counter-Strike: Source has more HDR-enabled versions of maps on the way, along with some enhancements to the game itself. Day of Defeat: Source is getting ready for a significant release that will add a number of new features, along with a new map named Colmar. Colmar is the first map to take advantage of a new objective system that allows us to build different kinds of levels than currently exist. Stay tuned for specifics on how the map plays out, but for now here’s a screenshot of the sleepy night-time village.

Below are the mentioned screenshots:

Indie developer Big Toe has announced the release of Dark Matter, its “visually stunning” top-down shooter. A remake of the classic game, Dark Matter features 30 missions, a Challenge mode, weapon upgrades, score achievement medals and support for the Xbox 360 controller in-game.

From BVG comes word that it has entered an agreement with Q Entertainment to pubish four new titles in all regions except Asia.

The first title is the highly anticipated sequel to Lumines for the PSP, along with Lumines Plus, a new version of the original title for the PS2. Every Extend Extra, a puzzle shooter game for the PSP and Meteos: Disney Edition, another action puzzle game featuring Disney characters, for the DS round out the announcement.

No other details were announced, except that all the above titles are set for release this Fall.

The Rage Hard website is online, unveiling an upcoming multiplayer tactical shooter scheduled for release during Q4 2006. As well as offering screenshots and a gameplay movie, the site offers this blurb on the game:

DNS & Titan Computer proudly present their new multiplayer shooter “Rage Hard.” “Rage Hard” is a tactical shooter, which is set in a not so distance future where criminal syndicates and drug lords rule the world. The player has the opportunity to choose a wide range of very different characters, he can play has “criminal” or as “good guy” his choice directly affects the kind of orders he has to fulfill during the multiplayer matches. “Rage Hard” offers a large variety of different locations such as Riot City, Gold Rush or Auqa Park a level which is set in a high-tech underwater research station. The player will be faced with different orders e.g. guarding a drug lord or stealing of top secret research documents out of the AuqaPark laboratories.

A playable demo for Abyss Lights, an upcoming space shooter, can be found on its new website which also offers information and screenshots.

In demo related news, an update to the Heroes of Might & Magic website offers plans for a demo for the forthcoming strategy title. An English demo is expected to be released sometime next week - it will feature 3 single player maps: one map from the Hell campaign, the second from the Human campaign, and one skirmish map with hero Maeve.

As for patches: a v1.1 update for The Plan is now available, addressing save game issues as well as problems with AI and pathfinding. Grab it from 3D Gamers, Clubic, FileFront, Jeux Video and Worthplaying.

In the flurry of AGEIA-related announcements, INFERNAL, a previously unannounced third-person fantasy shooter was revealed.

In the works at Metropolis Software, INFERNAL is scheduled for release this Fall by Playlogic. Scoop:

Metropolis developers are designing the game to resemble an action movie, complete with car chases, shootouts and high-tech gadgetry. The action takes place in a variety of settings, from Alpine villages and medieval castles to power plants and industrial sites. Leveraging AGEIA’s PhysX technology, Metropolis developers let the protagonist and opponents use the environment in unique ways, with the environment in turn influencing the way the game is played. For instance, enemy units can hide behind objects, locate the best positions to shoot from, and analyze the environment in order to be most combat-effective. Enemy units can jump, roll or duck for cover.

“The physics acceleration of the AGEIA PhysX processor is ideal for the shootouts, hand-to-hand battles and magic attacks of this new action title,” said Grzegorz Miechowski, CEO of Metropolis Software. “We expect to deliver many never-seen-before effects with the help of the AGEIA PhysX processor.”

“Metropolis Software demonstrates how graphics, gameplay and physics go hand-in-hand to create a captivating experience for gamers,” said Kathy Schoback, vice president of content acquisition at AGEIA. “The immersive action of this exciting new title should be a great testament to the action acceleration of the AGEIA PhysX processor.”

Bringing a combination of RTS and FPS is Free Interactive and Digital Reality who announced Field Ops, the first real-time-strategy shooter! Scoop:

Field Ops is the perfect mix between strategy and fast-paced military action. Move into the fascinating world of anti-terrorism and manage every aspect of gameplay from strategic planning to taking out the main bad guy with your sniper rifle.

What Field Ops, brings to the genre and to games in general, is a genuine revolution that combines immersion and strategic thinking.

Game Features:

• 5 Unique locations
  
• More than 8 different classes per side
  
• First-Person shooter AAA quality graphics
  
• True to life Physics engine
  
• Immersive and exciting multiplayer modes featuring a worldwide ranking system
  
• Real vehicles and weapons for the most authentic Special Forces experience
  
• Fight on the ground, in the air and over water
  
• Motion-captured animations for the most realistic experience ever
  
• Tactical A.I. allowing for exciting gameplay in both RTS and FPS views

The game is scheduled for release this November. Screenshots and more information can be found on the Field Ops website.

Gamespot has learned from Midway CEO David Zucker that the Snoop Dogg and John Singleton shooter-project Fear & Respect has been cancelled. He doesn’t mention the reason for cancellation, but his statements indicate that the company doesn’t wish to partake in a crowded genre.

The company, however, is working with the duo on another game, though the status of the project is unknown at the moment.

A new Steam Update is live, discussing the soon-to-be-released Half-Life 2: Episode One. The update talks about the add-on’s plot and how Alyx will be far more important this time around. Also, the update shows that Valve’s people were frustrated with how it took six years for them to ship the shooter sequel, and that they are now going to try the episodic approach with the franchise, stating that each episode will be designed to further enhance the story, gameplay and the latest Source technology.

There was also a wide-screen screenshot from Episode One attached with the post. It shows off Alyx and her surroundings (look at the screen for a hint).

Midway has officially announced Stranglehold for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, after teasing gamers at E3 2005. A “spiritual sequel” to John Woo’s “Hard Boiled,” the game sees Chow Yun-Fat reprising his role as Inspector Tequila, returning to kick butt and save his family who’ve been kidnapped by the Russian mob. High-resolution (and highly impressive) screenshots can be found on VE3D; a preview can also be found on IGN. Scoop:

SIGNATURE CINEMATIC ACTION
Stranglehold allows gamers to play a John Woodirected action blockbuster movie. Dual-wielding, stunt-laden gunplay combined with massive destructible environments ensures that Stranglehold will be a true tour-de-force. The environmental interactivity and two-fisted gunplay all come online, bringing the experience to a whole new level.

AMAZING GUNPLAY & STUNTS
Gamers will experience smooth flowing gameplay, such as running up railings, swinging on chandeliers and leaping onto moving objects, all without interrupting intense gun battles.

BLOCKBUSTER HOLLYWOOD TALENT
Featuring the cinematic flare of acclaimed action director John Woo, Stranglehold will also benefit from Woo’s direction on storyline, camera placement and cutscenes. Starring international action-star Chow Yun-Fat as Inspector Tequila, the game’s cast is also comprised of other A-list Hollywood talent.

GROUND-BREAKING TECHNOLOGY: MASSIVE D
The innovative physics engine will provide gamers with an unprecedented level of interactivity. With two huge areas to explore (Chicago and Hong Kong), the interactions will be infinite with each level offering massive amounts of destructibility.

INNOVATIVE TEQUILA TIME MECHANIC
Stranglehold’s unique Tequila Time slow-motion system goes well beyond the slow-motion gameplay that typifies so many current action games and allows players to simultaneously aim and shoot at targets with a greater degree of focus. In a case of art imitating art, John Woo is the master and originator of this style of gunplay action and it’s taken to a new level in Stranglehold.

UNREAL 3.0 AND HAVOK
Using a highly modified version of the Unreal 3.0 engine integrated with the Havok physics system, Stranglehold will breath new life into game envinronments and characters with stunning graphics. Incredible “Rock’n Roll” physics make it possible for everything in the world to be destructible and interactive, allowing for an ever changing battle ground depending on how players approach different situations.

The action shooter will be out this Winter from Midway’s Chicago studio.

On Sierra’s site is a new product page for SWA T 4: Gold Edition, revealing plans for a Gold bundle for the tactical police shooter. As expected, the Gold Edition of the game will include the original SWAT 4 along with The Stetchkov Syndicate add-on. The bundle is dated for release this Spring.

A 630 MB demo of Sniper Elite is now available, offering the chance to sample the shooter. The demo offers three missions from the full game and can be downloaded from 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, FileFront, Gameguru Mania and Worthplaying.