Hacker group LulzSec has announced it has attacked EVE Online’s Tranquility server, Minecraft’s multiplayer services, Riot Game’s League of Legends servers, and the Escapist Magazine’s website. The four distributed denial-of-service attacks appear to have been successful, as EVE Online is still down. You can read CCP Games’ official statement on the attack after the break!
Perhaps they are upset that DUST 514 is a PlayStation 3 exclusive?
Via: Joystiq
Activision has released its official launch trailer for Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which is out now on the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 platforms.
The US Army has released version 3.1 of their tactical, online shooter, America’s Army. The new update brings with it two additional maps as well as a number of game enhancements such as Steam leaderboards as well as the ES2 upgrade (check the official notes below). The game is free to play and download from the official America’s Army website and on Steam.
Every Soldier a Sensor Gameplay
“Every Soldier a Sensor” or ES2 teaches that with all the advanced technology used by the U.S. Army, every Soldier is the best possible sensor on the battlefield. By observation, Soldiers are able to detect suspicious or important changes in their surroundings, however small. When this information is reported back to leaders, it allows them to construct a clearer picture of the battlefield making it safer for fellow Soldiers and civilians alike.
The ES2 gameplay in AA3 brings awareness of the importance of every Soldier being observant on every mission. During AA3 gameplay, players will be rewarded for observing and reporting back things that they may come across during the mission that are suspicious or out-of-place. The player must determine what the object is, and report it if necessary. Many objects are false alarms and provide no benefit. Others are possible Intel such as NME documents or equipment and will grant the player a round bonus. Some gear or inventory items provide an immediate benefit such as ammo, explosives or IFAKS. To learn more about ES2, players will experience ES2 training as part of the MOUT training exercise.
New Maps
Shantytown is a rainy, close-quarters battle map which includes mission types for VIP and Activated objectives (where players interact with items to fulfill the mission). In this map, refugees fleeing oppression from the Czervenian government have established a makeshift slum settlement in the RDO city of Mozeizli. The refugees have lately moved into better living quarters established by U.S. and coalition forces and the “Shantytown” has since been abandoned. But, NME operatives are believed to have infiltrated and set up links to enemy espionage networks in the deserted area. In Shantytown, players will need to take advantage of the in-game communication and work together as a team relying heavily on concealment and speed as they navigate this maze of plywood shacks, containers and corrugated sheet metal.
Stronghold is a large map that takes place on the cobblestone streets of the occupied RDO city of Ranaliv where numerous alleys, terraces, balconies, and lofty spires provide a multitude of challenges and opportunities for teams to work together to accomplish the mission. Most of the population of this old city has fled, leaving the town and historical sites open to fortification by enemy forces. An imposing 14th century stone fortress, clock tower and fortress turrets will be favorite overwatch positions so players must be prepared to defend against NME marksmen. Players will also make good use of cover inside structures in the commercial and residential districts, advancing as a team from building to building as they race to complete the mission objectives.
Additional Features
About America’s Army
America’s Army is the only action game that delivers an authentic and entertaining Army experience by reflecting the training, technology, skills, and career advancement of a United States Army Soldier. The game has become an online phenomenon, ranking among the most popular PC action games played online. America’s Army games are rated T for Teen and can be downloaded free from Steam (www.americasarmy.com/steam) and from partners listed on the website (www.americasarmy.com). The Army launched America’s Army in July of 2002 and the most recent version, AA3 launched in June 2009. In keeping with the dynamic nature of Soldiering, the America’s Army game will continue to expand and allow players to explore the Army of today, tomorrow and the future. America’s Army is produced by the Army Game Studio, part of the AMRDEC Software Engineering Directorate at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville Alabama. Managed by Program Director Frank Blackwell, the Army Game Studio houses the development and management staff for the America’s Army online PC game as well as numerous Military and Government applications.
Trion Worlds has released a new screenshot gallery from their MMORPG, Rift, in honor of last week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo – enjoy!
Announced at E3 2011, EA and Insomniac Games have released the official teaser trailer for their new IP Overstrike. Check out the trailer below and the game when it hits in 2012.
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As I hit the show floor on day one of E3 2011, I was already excited for my first appointment. It was time for my yearly visit to the fine folks at EA Sports to see what they have up their sleeves for their highly-popular FIFA franchise. Tucked in the back of the massive EA booth, I found my way to the meeting room. After a short wait I sat down and FIFA producer David Rutter went into a little video highlight reel for FIFA 12. Let’s go over the three main points and my impressions from trying them out hands on.
The first new feature for FIFA 12 this year is the “Player Impact Engine”. This new features aims to add more realism in the game and stop some of the over powered defending found in FIFA 11. In FIFA 11, you could simply just clatter into a player to get the ball back or use the “defense press” button that would run a defender to the ball using the same tactic. This caused games to be way off on the realism factor and allows people to just run into each other forever to get the ball back. In FIFA 12, the new engine allows real time collisions between players. No longer will player’s heads and limbs go through each other like ghosts – instead, the FIFA team has made sure that these things collide in real-time. This will allow for some unique situations as players will trip realistically over each other and even smash into each other in mid-air when going for a header. This also sets up the new “Real injury” feature that depending on where the player gets hit it will cause problems. Smashing knees with a defender can cause a knee injury and getting hit with a slide tackle could blow out an ankle. This new feature is a big win for the franchise and I am proud to say that it shows in hands-on play. As I went up for headers on crossed balls there were several times that I was pushed out of the way or my path was knocked off due to a clash.
The next feature shown was the new precision dribbling. Dribbling has always been a huge part of the FIFA game and it has evolved over time. In last year’s version of FIFA you had the 360 degree dribbling. This caused for some unique moves to get away from defenders. The only problem is shielding the ball just didn’t work at times and it was nearly impossible to shoot gaps between players. In FIFA 12 when a player like Messi has the ball you can shield yourself to slow up play and make little small touches on the football. This allows better movement into space and the chance for a skilled player to misdirect defenders with the small touches. During my hands-on time, I put this to the test with some of the players on the field. The dribbling feels a hell of a lot smother and I was able to pull off some slick moves against my opponent. I am interested to see how this ends up when the game launches but, again, this feels like another big win for the series.
Now onto the big feature of FIFA 11, the “EA Sports Football Club”. With this unique feature, the FIFA team has added a huge new social feature to an already gigantic community. With Football Club you are responsible for making sure that your favorite team is at the top of the ranking. You start out by picking your favorite club and off you go into the world of FIFA 12. No matter what mode or what team you are playing you will always add points to your home club. For instance, if I am in a career with Stoke City but have Manchester United as my club I will still gain points. It’s not about how much you win but also about how much you play. Each action in FIFA 12 adds points to your club as it climbs it’s way up the world ladder. You can also see where you rank against your friends clubs via in game menus and the website. To top it off the FIFA team will be throwing in weekly challenges and story lines to add to the mix. If say Manchester United beat Bolton by 2-1 you may be asked to play as Bolton to escape with a draw or a win. Not only does this add to the community of FIFA but it gives players that immersion into the real world of football. I did not get to go hands-on with this but this is an exciting feature to say the least.
I came away from my time with FIFA 12 very excited about the future of the series. The team not only has the community in mind but is really hoping out of their way to make sure the series stays at number one. when the game hits this fall I have no doubt that it will continue to reign as one of the top sports games in the world. Special thanks to David Rutter and EA Sports Community Manager Alain Quinto for letting us get a sneak peek at FIFA 12.
SEGA has released a new live action trailer for their upcoming horror title, Rise of Nightmares, for the Xbox 360 with Kinect.
BioWare and Electronic Arts have released the “Fall of Earth” trailer for their upcoming action-RPG, Mass Effect 3.
Develop reports that THQ has begun closing down Kaos Studios, developer of the ill-received Homefront. Apparently, THQ is putting THQ Montreal in charge of the Homefront franchise for future titles. As of yet, it is unclear just how many people are losing their jobs and how many will be folded into the Montreal studio.
Update 1: THQ has confirmed to Develop it has made a “strategic realignment within its internal studio structure and is in the process of closing two locations: the company’s UK studio and Kaos studio in New York.”
It was a pleasure to spend some time with the fine people at the Majesco booth at E3. They were showing off a wide range of titles that I was able to spend some hands-on time with. I got to check out 23 new Microsoft Kinect Titles. Take Shape is a fitness game that has you and your friends or family pairing up to form shapes as they approach you on a conveyor belt. Anyone who has ever watched the sensational TV show from either the USA or Japan called Hole in the Wall knows what I am talking about. the game has you forming many crazy shapes wither by yourself or with a partner. It causes some very funny moments as you find yourself in some very interesting positions. This game could simply not be played on anything other then Kinect. I also was able to mess around with Hulk Hogan’s Main Event. This is the first ever wrestling game on Kinect. Its over-the-top, cartoony graphics go very well with Hulk Hogan’s tongue-in-cheek wrestling nature. The game seems very accessible, has a deep create-a-wrestler mode and I was able to see some of the training sessions. Hulk Hogan was training you how to use a chair in the ring to fight your opponent. The action seemed very responsive and the game looked like it was a lot of fun. The last of the trio of Kinect Titles I was able to see was another fitness title called Mind N Motion. The goal of this game was to train the mind and body at the same time. It looked a little rough around the edges, but with a little bit more polish, I think it will come into its own.
Next up was Bloodrayne Betrayal. It is a 2D side-scrolling Action Platformer that is coming to the XBOX Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network. This title re-imagines the first two Bloodrayne games with an all-new hand-drawn graphical style. This was one of the most unique=looking titles I was able to see at E3. All the animations were running very smoothly. The game boasts Speed Run-style gameplay and will be out at the end of July and early August in a tiered rollout for the two different consoles.
Lastly, I was also able to spend time with four different Nintendo 3DS titles. First was a Shmup called Nano Assault. In this game, you are inserted into a virus and given the task of taking it out from within. This was easily the best looking third party title I saw at the show for the 3DS. The gameplay was easily accessible and it even looked good with the 3D turned off. That was followed up with a splash into the ocean for Jaws Ultimate Predator. The build I saw was still pretty early, but being able to eat people and other little sea creatures, while playing as the biggest, baddest shark around seemed pretty cool. When the game comes out this October or November, only time will tell if the game will provide enough originality and variety to make it even more appealing. I then zoomed on over to check out Face Racers, the first Kart racer that will be launched on the 3DS this September. The thing that will set this Kart racer apart from the others is the ability to use the 3DS camera to put your face in the game. It has you make four different emotional “faces”, which are used at different parts of the game. Pass somebody up? Make a smiley face, get hit by an opponent’s oil slick, make a frowny face – you get the ides. There are also unlockable costumes you can use to really trick out your racer. The custom emotional faces will only work in flattened 2D mode. Finally, the last game I spent time with at the Majesco booth was Pet Zombies. This is a pretty straight forward pet simulator where you are tasked with keeping your pet happy, fed etc. The twist is that your pet is a flesh eating Zombie. Where your little Nintendog wants you to be affectionate and rub its belly, your Pet Zombie wants you to torture it and taze it in order to keep it happy. The person walking me through the demo assured me that it was family friendly, however, I would definitely not let my 7 year old play a game that encouraged her to torture a pet for fun. I like Zombies, but this seems like a feeble attempt to cash in on the Zombie craze that is happeining ion our society right now.
All in all, I had a great time checking out these titles at E3 with Majesco. The real standouts for me were Hulk Hogan’s Main Event and Bloodrayne Betrayal. I liked the wrestling game simply for its nostalgic value, while the Bloodrayne game was very pretty to look at.
