Archive - 2013

Kevin Riepl Scores Aliens: Colonial Marines

2013/02/07

News, PlayStation 3 News, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 7, 2013 – Award-winning film and video game composer Kevin Riepl (Silent Night, ABCs of Death, The Aggression Scale, Gears of War, Resistance: Burning Skies) has created an original symphonic score for the highly anticipated blockbuster ALIENS™: COLONIAL MARINES video game, launching worldwide on February 12, 2013. Developed by critically acclaimed studio Gearbox Software in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox, ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES is the authentic addition to the ALIENS canon, bringing new levels of bone-chilling suspense and adrenaline-filled action to the renowned franchise.

Continuing the legacy of Jerry Goldsmith’s music in ALIEN and James Horner’s music in ALIENS, Kevin Riepl’s original score for ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES features all new themes and atmospheric underscores while staying faithful to the franchise’s iconic scores of Ridley Scott’s and James Cameron’s classic sci-fi horror cinema. Infusing his haunting, sweeping and bombastic orchestral score with familiar nods and intense cinematic action music performed by full live orchestra, Riepl draws on his own classical training and film scoring background to create an authentic ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES score that will immerse players in the definitive ALIENS gaming experience.

Composing music for multiple entertainment genres, Kevin Riepl’s engaging and atmospheric scores have enhanced numerous indie films such as ABCs OF DEATH, CLEMENCY, THE AGGRESSION SCALE (Global Music Awards Winner) and the recent holiday season horror feature, SILENT NIGHT. In addition to scoring film festival winners and genre cult films including the emotional sci-fi short HENRI starring Keir Dullea (2001: A Space Odyssey) and Oddball Animation Studios’ stunning concept film, RUIN (Global Music Awards Winner), Kevin Riepl is also renowned for composing the epic, signature score for the blockbuster video game GEARS OF WAR. Most recently his sci-fi action score for Sony’s RESISTANCE: BURNING SKIES was awarded “Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media” in the 2013 Movie Music UK Awards. For more information on Kevin Riepl, visit www.kevinriepl.com.

A true continuation to James Cameron’s film ALIENS, the story of ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES takes place after the events of the second film. In ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES, players are part of a U.S. Colonial Marine squad and must prepare to face an alien assault, more intense and horrific than ever before. Driven by a compelling and original story, ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES retains the atmospheric look and feel of the original films while creating an entirely new interactive ALIENS experience. For more information on ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES, visit www.sega.com/alienscolonialmarines.

Space Program Manager Announced

2013/02/07

Jerry Paxton

News, Windows PC News

Epsom, 7th February 2013 – Buzz Aldrin’s Space Program Manager is the ultimate game of space exploration. Releasing on PC, Mac and iPad in June this year, this exciting title will take players on a journey of exploration and space conquest from the dawn of human spaceflight to modern space exploration vehicles and on to the future.

To ensure the accuracy and authenticity of the game it is being developed in consultation with Dr. Buzz Aldrin, former U.S. Air Force combat pilot (66 missions in Korea) and NASA astronaut, who took part in the first Moon landing mission and became the second human being to walk on the Moon.

“Working with Buzz Aldrin in this project is a fascinating journey“, said Ignacio Liverotti, Lead Developer at Polar Motion, developer of the game. “As a fan of space exploration, it’s a dream to be able to work on such an exciting title and having Dr. Aldrin as a consultant”.

In Buzz Aldrin’s Space Program Manager players are in charge of carefully managing the agency’s budget by opening programs, spending R&D funds on improving the hardware, recruiting personnel and astronauts and launching space missions. Road to the Moon is the first chapter in a series of three engaging games that will take players on a fantastic journey.

“We have been branching out to new platforms and settings recently“, said Iain McNeil, Development Director of the Slitherine Group. “Games such as Commander: the Great War and Battle Academy on iPad prove we can expand our audience by widening our range of titles. Buzz Aldrin’s Space Program Manager is certainly a great example on how we can attract new players, but stick to our roots of intelligent gameplay and in-depth, well researched content“.

Game Features

Manage all aspects of your fledgling space agency from the 1950’s through to the Lunar landings in the first episode. Later episodes will add a permanent space station in Earth orbit all the way to the ultimate goal – a Manned Mission to Mars!
Create space programs and launch missions inspired by real programs such as the X-15 Space plane and the Sputnik satellite through to the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo manned spacecrafts and more!
Research and develop hundreds of mission components from 40 different program categories.
Develop your facility with advanced structures and upgrades including the Vehicle Assembly Building, the Mission Control Center and the Observatory.
Recruit and train astronaut candidates and assign them to missions.
Assemble an elite team of Scientists, Engineers, Technicians and Flight Controllers for the best chance of success.
Manage your agency’s extensive budget.
Components can cause catastrophic failures. You must decide whether to abort or push on with each mission.
Vast amounts of research ensure the huge database includes missions that launched and many more that never left the drawing board!
In Campaign Mode, manage your agency while pandering to the requirements of government to keep your position as Director!
Play in Sand Box mode to manage your budget with no politics involved.
Hundreds of components built in 3D and rendered out in exquisite detail allow you to follow the progress of your missions.
A historic advisor gives background information on the real missions and astronauts throughout the game.
Designed in consultation with Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot and the second human being to set foot on the Moon.

2013 SOE Live Event Announced

2013/02/06

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Windows PC News

SAN DIEGO – Feb. 6, 2013 – Sony Online Entertainment, LLC (SOE) today announced that its annual community fan event, SOE Live, will take place at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino inLas Vegas on Aug. 1 – ug. 4, 2013. An annual SOE-sponsored event, SOE Live is set to be the ultimate gathering for the SOE community, and provides players an opportunity to celebrate their favorite free-to-play SOE games, including: DC Universe^™ Online, Dragon’s Prophet™, EverQuest®,EverQuest® II, Free Realms^®, PlanetSide^®2, PoxNora^®, Star Wars^®: Clone Wars Adventures™, Vanguard^® Saga of Heroes, and a first look at the next game in the EverQuest franchise.

“Every year at SOE Live, our goal is to extend the gaming experience for attending players and the entire Community with the best and most exciting activities, news and updates,” said Laura Naviaux, Senior Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing, Sony Online Entertainment. “In addition to holding meet and greets with the Development teams, tournaments and other annual activities that fans have come to love and enjoy over the years, this year’s event will expand to include new titles from our growing free-to-play games portfolio, including Dragon’s Prophet and the next highly-anticipated chapter of the EverQuest game franchise.”

SOE Live echoes the core belief that all SOE players are part of one extended family and presents an opportunity for fans of all ages to meet the talented people behind some of the online world’s most successful games. In addition to a slew of social events, SOE will also host developer panel discussions and game-themed live events, giving attendees a chance to voice their opinions of current and upcoming game content. SOE Live will also feature access to new announcements and beta programs, tournaments, premium swag, and more. Additional information will be announced in the upcoming months.

For more information, visit: http://www.soe.com/soelive/.

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge Coming to PS3 and Xbox 360

2013/02/06

Jerry Paxton

News, PlayStation 3 News, Xbox 360 News

BURLINGAME, Calif. – FEBRUARY 6, 2013 – TECMO KOEI America today announced that NINJA GAIDEN 3: RAZOR’S EDGE, the latest chapter in the famed action series, is coming to the PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360^®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. In the Team NINJA-developed title, the enigmatic warrior Ryu Hayabusa must fight to lift a curse that threatens to destroy him. NINJA GAIDEN 3: RAZOR’S EDGE features additional playable characters, a new gameplay mode, a redesigned battle system with enhanced enemy AI, a robust Ninja Skills upgrade system, expanded online features including bonus content, and a host of other features. The game is scheduled to launch both at retail and via digital download on April 2^nd 2013.

“NINJA GAIDEN 3: RAZOR’S EDGE is the most action-packed and feature rich NINJA GAIDEN game ever created,” said Yosuke Hayashi, Team NINJA leader. “The brutal combat will challenge the hardest of hardcore NINJA GAIDEN fans while also rewarding them with tons of bonus content and new features including three playable female characters, new stages, and three times as many Ninja Trial missions.”

NINJA GAIDEN 3: RAZOR’S EDGE was designed from the ground up to satisfy core action fans with a redesigned battle system, improved enemy AI, greatly reduced QTE scenes, and the return of dismemberment. Even with severed arms or legs, enemies will fight on and players will find they have to change attacks on the fly to win brutally tough battles—the challenge level leaves little room for error. The Ninja Skills systems lets players use Karma earned in combat to freely purchase weapon and Ninpo upgrades, feats, and costumes. Adding to the variety of gameplay, Kasumi, Ayane, and Momiji all join Hayabusa as playable characters. Ayane will get her own chapters in story mode while all three female characters can be played in the new Chapter Challenge mode and Ninja Trials co-op play with multiple costume options.

Chapter Challenge mode is available with ten chapters including all-new Ayane stages. In this mode, players will compete for the highest score possible in each chapter of the story. Six brutal weapons are available to Hayabusa throughout the game, including the new Jinran-Maru & Blade of the Archfiend dual swords, Lunar Staff, and Kusari-gama. Additionally, Inferno, Wind Blades, and Piercing Void have been added as deadly new Ninpo. In the new Tests of Valor challenges, players who find Crystal Skulls hidden in each level will be transported to face off in skill-testing battles with familiar bosses from the NINJA GAIDEN series.

The online features in NINJA GAIDEN 3: RAZOR’S EDGE have been greatly expanded, with all the previously paid DLC from NINJA GAIDEN 3 available as a bonus. The Ninja Skills upgrade system works online to let players use Karma to purchase 64 customizable features for the Unknown Ninja used in multiplayer Clan Battles. Supporting up to eight players, five brand new Clan Battle stages have been added. Players can use all of Hayabusa’s weapons and Ninpo in Clan Battles, giving them access to their favorite methods of attack. The number of missions in Ninja Trials has been tripled to 100, and all four playable characters—Hayabusa, Ayane, Momiji, and Kasumi—can be used in this co-op mode.

For more news about Team NINJA, visit http://teamninja-studio.com, and don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/teamninjastudio and follow us on Twitter @TeamNINJAStudio.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Announced

2013/02/06

Jerry Paxton

News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

February 6, 2013 – Inspired by the weird fiction stories and other tales of macabre of the early 20th century, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a game to be played at night, alone, and in headphones. With The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, The Astronauts – a team comprised of People Can Fly (Bulletstorm, Painkiller) veterans – aim to evolve immersive storytelling in games. It’s set for release on PC via digital distributors in 2013.

As a detective with the supernatural ability to visualize scenes of lethal crimes, you investigate the kidnapping of a young boy, hoping to save him before it’s too late. The investigation leads you to a beautiful mountain area, where you come across a severely mutilated body of one of the kidnappers. Using both your paranormal skill and modern detective tools you discover the mystery behind the trail of corpses in the valley, the roots of an ancient force ruling the area, and the fate of the kidnapped boy.

“What we care about the most is that the players feel like they’re really there. Immersion is our number one priority,” said the game’s designer, Adrian Chmielarz. “It’s a game about exploration and discovery. We’re not abandoning the gameplay – on the contrary: we’re trying to strip it down to the bone and make sure it’s always meaningful and truly makes the experience better.”

The game is being developed on the latest version of the industry-leading Unreal Engine 3 technology from Epic Games, as well as exciting new technology, the details of which we will reveal in the coming months.

Teaser Video

Leviathan: Warships Announced

2013/02/06

Jerry Paxton

News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

NEW YORK — February 6, 2013 — Paradox Interactive, a publisher of games and a wearer of lifejackets, and developer Pieces Interactive today announced the forthcoming release of a new tactical action game, Leviathan: Warships, for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android platforms. The game, which challenges players to assemble customized fleets of warships and weaponry, will feature cross-platform gameplay across all supported platforms, allowing battles to be fought from nearly any computer, tablet, or location. With a full co-op campaign and several player-vs.-player (PvP) maps ready to put fleets to the test, Paradox reminds players that their tablets will not function as floatation devices.

Ships just got real, watch the announcement trailer here:

In Leviathan: Warships, players will choose from a wide array of ship and weapon types to build a personalized fleet and fight battles in a unique blend of action and turn-based gameplay. Captains can take their time to plot out their turn, assigning moves and attacks to their ships, and then witness the chaos of battle as each fleet engages their maneuvers in simultaneous action sequences. With Leviathan: Warships, Paradox puts the sea in the cloud, allowing players to start a session from their tablet and continue their cloud-saved skirmish from their computer, challenging foes on any available device.

Leviathan: Warships features:

Tactical Action: Plot out your turn in advance and watch your plans come to fruition alongside your foes’ moves
Form Your Fleet: Customize your fleet choosing from multiple ship types and arm them with a vast set of both offensive and defensive weaponry.
Sink Your Devices: Cross-platform play between PC, Mac, iOS and Android, together with the games built-in cloud saving functionality, allows you to continue your sessions from any computer, tablet or location
Enlist Your Shipmates: Bring along up to 3 other players for five individual challenge missions, or a full co-op campaign spanning nine levels.
Own the Oceans: Prove your dominance of the sea by saving replays of your battles
Support for Marooned Sailors: Offline mode available for campaign and challenges

To find out more about Leviathan: Warships, visit:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeviathanGame
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LeviathanWarships
Website: http://www.paradoxplaza.com/games/leviathan-warships
Forum: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?771-Leviathan-Warships

Sceptre 32-inch LED HDTV Now Available with MHL Technology

2013/02/06

Jerry Paxton

News, Tech News

City of Industry, Calif – February 6, 2013 – Sceptre, superior manufacturers of world class LED and LCD HDTVs and PC displays, unveils their first LED HDTV with MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) technology, an ultra-slim 32-inch designed to deliver the ultimate interactive home entertainment experience.

Sceptre’s 32-inch LED HDTV with MHL technology is part of an upcoming series of HDTVs that allows users to utilize their big screen TV as a display or speaker for their mobile phones or portable devices. In addition, the HDTV’s remote can control the connected device.

Developed by the MHL consortium, MHL technology utilizes a single cable to support up to 1080p high-definition video and surround sound audio while simultaneously charging the connected device.

“Sceptre’s understands that convenience is at the forefront of the consumers’ needs,” said Cathy Chou, vice president of operations, Sceptre. “The new line of HDTVs with MHL technology provides the extra usability and connectivity we all seek while remaining affordable.”

Perfect for both the high tech man cave and the common household, the 32-inch LED HDTV with MHL technology is a true 16:9 widescreen, has a 1920×1080 resolution and a rated LED backlight life of more than 50,000 hours. It also comes with integrated technologies such as auto dynamic contrast enhancement, auto-volume level control, sound equalizer settings and surround sound capability to deliver crisp images and stereo quality entertainment.

Sceptre’s 32-inch LED HDTV with MHL technology is currently available for $599.99 at Amazon, QVC, Sears, K-mart, Tiger Direct, Costco and NewEgg. For more information about this or the entire line of Sceptre products, please visit www.sceptre.com

Official Skylanders Swap Force: Teaser Trailer

2013/02/05

Jerry Paxton

News, Nintendo Wii News, Nintendo Wii U News, PlayStation 3 News, Trailers / Videos, Xbox 360 News

Today, Activision has released a new teaser trailer for their upcoming Skylanders Swap Force. Enjoy!

Trailer

MWO Gets Pretty Baby and Other Enhancements

2013/02/05

Jerry Paxton

News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News

Piranha Games and IGP have announced the release of the “Pretty Baby” hero mech in MechWarrior Online. The mech weighs in at 80 tons and features a top speed of 68 mph. In addition to the release of this hero mech, the game has received a new content update with a number of new features, such as new cockpit items, a pre and post-match round up screen, and more.

Pretty Baby Mech Screenshots

Official Press Release

MONTREAL – February 5, 2013 — Infinite Game Publishing and MechWarrior Online developers Piranha Games announced today that the newest Hero Mech – Pretty Baby – is now live for fans to purchase in this latest update. Also included in the update is a major update to the Match features as MechWarrior Online fans are now treated to pre-round screening, an in-game scoreboard, the long-awaited Death Screen and a fantastic new “end of round” screen. Most importantly, players can now chat about match tactics before a match begins, analyze performance and contribution to the match.

In addition to Pretty Baby’s availability and the new Match features fans are also welcome to check out the new Tiger Mech pattern and the launch of Phase 2 for Camo Specs which gives players a wealth of new options to customize their Mechs with unlockable colors and patterns. Also included in this patch are several key performance updates and bug fixes. The full update list can be found here: http://mwomercs.com/news/2013/02/601-2013-february-developer-update.

Pretty Baby’s release into the InnerSphere is celebrated with its very own trailer, which you can view via YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kApfklL0_0. Clocking in at 80 tons, it sports a 340 XL engine with a torso twist of 100 degrees on each side. Pretty Baby is a double threat on the battlefield with top speeds at 68 mph and 19 double heat sinks. It’s a must-have for your lance.

Currently in open beta, MechWarrior Online takes you to the InnerSphere in the year 3049 during the early stages of a massive interstellar war. You are an elite warrior in command of a wide variety of devastatingly powerful Mechs. Customize each of your Mechs to suit your preferred battlefield role; upgrade systems, replace weapons and tweak armor with near endless options. MechWarrior Online is the future of war.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Announced

2013/02/05

Jerry Paxton

News, PlayStation 3 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News

CD Projekt RED has announced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the next in the The Witcher series. The game is said to be the last Witcher game and will be release in 2014 on “all high-end platforms”. The game is being developed on their recently-revealed REDengine 3 and game developers are touting its “nonlinearity”. Checkout the reveal trailer and press release below for more info.

Reveal Trailer

Official Press Release

CD Projekt RED has officially announced the title of their next upcoming game: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Further, they’ve announced that this, the ultimate game in the series, will also be the final Witcher game from the studio. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt combines CD Projekt RED’s trademark decision-based storytelling flair with a living open world larger than any other in modern RPG history.

“The captivating and nonlinear story of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt takes place in a rich, truly open world environment. A world which is thrilling to explore, full of daring adventures, momentous quests, memorable characters, and unique monsters. Players will freely travel through woods, lakes, mountains, cities, and villages. Each region is inhabited by distinct populations with their own customs, legends and problems. The world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is 30 times bigger than The Witcher 2,” said Adam Badowski, head of the studio.

“Imagine playing a dark fantasy game with the same great nonlinear story as in the previous Witcher titles, but now told in a world you can explore freely with no artificial boundaries. The war-ravaged world is so huge that to reach further places you will need to ride a horse or sail a boat to get there. A world where your choices have truly epic consequences. From the development side, this goal is extremely demanding. Our team had to make significant design changes and our tech had to be rebuilt. But we believe that this will lead to a completely new level of nonlinearity and a whole new, richer gaming experience. As a gamer, I would love to play this kind of RPG and I think this is what many players are waiting for. This is our dream come true at CD Projekt RED, and we hope it will be the same for you!” adds Badowski.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the final episode of the award-winning RPG series and the last part of the legend of Geralt of Rivia. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the most robust and breathtaking game ever created by CD Projekt RED. Open world free-roaming exploration is an adventure in itself as the player will gallop through war-ravaged lands, sail misty waters and track down dangerous beasts for money. An improved combat system will allow players to feel like a real monster-hunter, a witcher who uses his superior senses and fighting skills to survive in a dark fantasy world–while he embarks on a quest to save his loved ones. The new core mechanics of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt immerse the player in the experience completely, with no Quick Time Events, only intuitive RPG gameplay.

Badowski continued, “People may ask if this is really going to be the last Witcher game. Yes, it is. Why? Because we believe that we should end the series on a high note. Technology has progressed to where we can finally tell the story the way we want, with the visuals we want, in the world we imagined. This will be the ultimate fantasy RPG experience, and while we’re hardly out of stories to tell, we believe it’s time for us to look to new worlds and new horizons to keep pushing the boundaries of what we can create.”

For all of those who have never experienced the adventures of Geralt before, this will be their last chance. The game will be accessible all players–those who are fans of the series and those who just love RPGs–thanks to availability on all major high-end platforms and an introduction designed to smoothly introduce all those who visit the world of the Witcher for the first time.”

The game will be released in 2014 simultaneously on all high-end platforms. Making use of the same remarkable art direction from The Witcher 2 combined with the support of in-house technology–the recently-announced RPG-oriented REDengine 3–The Witcher 3 will take full advantage of the technical capabilities of modern hardware and will set a new standard for RPG visuals.

CD Projekt RED has added a whole new section to their website. If you want to find more information, please go to www.thewitcher.com

For more details check out the latest issue of Game Informer, available for online subscribers starting from today. There you will find exclusive materials in a 14 page cover story, including early screenshots and concept artwork.

To celebrate this momentous announcement, the developers of the award-winning Witcher franchise are putting The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director’s Cut and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition on a 50% off sale on GOG.com and Steam for the next 72 hours. And for console gamers, the price of The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition on Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is permanently decreased to only USD/EUR 29.99 USD/EUR or GBP 19,99.

To be informed about the start of official CD Projekt RED pre-orders for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and to receive the latest Witcher news please subscribe here:thewitcher.com/preorder
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