Author - Jerry Paxton

Gabriel Knight Remake Now Available for Pre-Order

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Mount Joy, Penn. – September 9th, 2014 – Pinkerton Road Studio today announced that the highly-anticipated Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers® 20th Anniversary Edition, a modern remake of one of Sierra ‘s greatest adventure games of all-time, will be available for purchase on PC and Mac on October 15th, 2014. Licensed from Activision Publishing, Inc, overseen by original series creator Jane Jensen, and developed in partnership with leading indie team Phoenix Online Studios, this high-definition update of the adventure game classic Gabriel Knight adds brand new puzzles and scenes, gorgeous new high-res backgrounds, a remastered soundtrack, and more New Orleans flavor to the beloved original story, plus exclusive new behind-the-scenes material including original concept sketches, articles and brand new audio interviews with Jane Jensen and members of the original Sierra development team to provide a more complete view on the Gabriel Knight series than has ever been available before. Pre-orders are now available at Steam, GOG.com, the Phoenix Online Store and more at 15% off the $19.99 retail price, and include the pre-order exclusive soundtrack by Robert Holmes.

The game will also offer players never before seen behind-the-scenes special edition content on both the original and the remake. Extras include original concept art, magazine articles, interviews and brand new behind-the-scenes insight and one-on-one interviews with Jane Jensen and members of the original Sierra development team to provide a more complete view on the Gabriel Knight series than has ever been available before.

Hailed by Adventure Gamers as one of the most well-written games ever and given an Honorable Mention in the AV Club’s Top 100 Games of All Time, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary Edition invites players to relive the classic voodoo murder mystery that’s captivated generations of game enthusiasts for two decades. In the game, players will take on the role of roguishly handsome Gabriel Knight, a struggling author and owner of a bookstore in New Orleans, who is investigating the Voodoo Murders for his new book: a series of savage ritual killings surrounded by voodoo trappings. But his search into the dark underbelly of New Orleans will reveal far more than who’s behind the killings, as Gabriel is drawn to the beautiful and aloof Malia Gedde, learns the secrets of his family history, and must comes to grips with his own destiny if he’s going to survive.

“It’s been a dream to be able to work on Gabriel Knight again, and I’m so exciting to bring it to a new audience. I think it looks amazing and it has all the classic gameplay,” said Jane Jensen, creator of the series.

“Gabriel Knight is the reason why I became a developer. It was a groundbreaking game that showed the power of Jane Jensen’s storytelling,” added Cesar Bittar, CEO of Phoenix Online and producer of the project. “The honor of working alongside Jane in remaking one the most beloved adventure games of all times is definitely for me a golden opportunity, but also a huge responsibility, and we are doing our very best to ensure old fans and new will be thrilled by the results and ready to play as a Schattenjäger once again.”

More information is available at www.GabrielKnight20th.com.

KickBeat – Special Edition Coming September 16

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San Francisco, CA – September 9, 2014 – Zen Studios, the creators of the beloved Zen Pinball and CastleStorm franchises, have revealed that the latest version of its kung-fu/rhythm hybrid, KickBeat, will hit PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Wii U the week of September 16, and will come to Xbox One at a later date. KickBeat combines kung-fu action, intuitive rhythm-based gameplay, and a pounding soundtrack for a rocking experience.

The KickBeat – Special Edition Soundtrack features tracks from a diverse lineup of artists:

  • Pendulum – Self vs. Self, Propane Nightmares (Celldweller Remix)
  • Celldweller – Switchback, I Can’t Wait
  • Marilyn Manson – The Beautiful People
  • Shen Yi – War Dance
  • POD – Boom
  • Papa Roach – Last Resort
  • Blue Stahli – Takedown, Scrape, Ultranumb
  • Southpaw Swagger – It’s Showtime
  • Pre-Fight Hype – It’s Goin Down
  • Voicians – Fighters, The Construct
  • Rob Zombie – Scum of the Earth
  • Styles Beyond – Nine Thou
  • Pre-Fight Hype & Southpaw Swagger – Tug-O-War
  • enV – Destination, RPM, Vee, Shakestopper, OCP, Bloom

KickBeat – Special Edition offers up a full-length single-player campaign, beautifully hand-drawn animations and a strikingly unique art style. KickBeat – Special Edition will be available starting onSeptember 16 on PlayStation 4 in North America, September 17 on PlayStation 4 in Europe, and Nintendo Wii U on September 18 for $9.99/€9,99/£7.99. The game will also be available on Xbox One at a later date.

For more information on KickBeat – Special Edition as well as Zen Studios’ library of games, please visit blog.zenstudios.com.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Last-Gen Console Release Date Updates

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Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced today that the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor will take more time in development, and the release dates for these versions are moving to November 18 in the Americas and November 21 in Europe. The street dates for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One remain September 30 in the Americas and October 3 in Europe. PC and Steam versions are now slated for release in the Americas and Europe on September 30.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor delivers a dynamic game environment where the player orchestrates their personal plan of vengeance as they bend Mordor to their will. The game begins on the night of Sauron’s return to Mordor, as his Black Captains brutally execute the Rangers of the Black Gate. Players become Talion, a ranger who loses his family and everything he holds dear, only to be returned from death by a mysterious Spirit of vengeance. Based on the player’s actions with the in-game Nemesis System, every enemy encountered is distinct and can evolve to become a personal archenemy through the course of the game.  As Talion’s personal vendetta unfolds, players uncover the mystery of the Spirit that compels him, discover the origin of the Rings of Power and confront the ultimate nemesis.

Guild Wars 2 Launches September 2014 Feature Pack

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BELLEVUE, WA – September 9, 2014: NCSOFT® and ArenaNet™, publisher and developer of the acclaimed Guild Wars franchise, today released its “September 2014 Feature Pack,” the second standaloneGuild Wars 2® feature update for the award-winning MMO. Feature packs focus exclusively on in-game features, and the latest update introduces improvements to key features, a ‘new user’ experience, balance updates and much more. All new content added to Guild Wars 2, including Feature Packs, is available to players free of charge and without a subscription fee.

Log in today and experience the September 2014 Feature Pack, which includes:

  • Wardrobe Updates

The April 2014 Feature Pack brought the account Wardrobe, a system that made it easier than ever for players to manage clothing looks and dye colors. Now, it’s being expanded with new features and functionality, including Wardrobe support to store and manage combat Finishers and ‘Miniatures’ (mini-pets), which can be account unlocked and equipped via a new mini-equip slot.

  • New Trading Post

The update features a brand-new Trading Post interface which provides a better overview and is easier to navigate, meaning it will be much easier for players to find and buy the items they desire.

  • Collection Achievements

A new Collections Achievement category will reward players for amassing items from all over Tyria. By sampling all of the ales, stockpiling trinkets, and collecting themed sets of gear players can earn rewards like new equipment, recipes or even a rare treasure chest for their home instance.

  • World vs. World Updates
    From Commander tag updates to the Siege Golem ability line and the new Siege Disabler Trick, there are many exciting additions in the feature pack affecting strategy and tactics in Guild Wars 2’s popular competitive mode, World vs. World. Furthermore players from across the globe will have the chance to put their abilities to the test in the forthcoming World vs. Wold Fall Tournament 2014 which commences onFriday September 12.
  • New Player Experience
    The latest update includes a series of improvements designed to ensure that Guild Wars 2’s early levelling and learning experience is more engaging, easier to follow and rewarding.

The points above merely scratch the surface of the many improvements arriving with today’s update. To learn more about the September 2014 Feature Pack, check out the series of blog posts detailing each feature and upgrade at www.guildwars2.com.

Batman: Arkham Knight Gets Release Date and Collector’s Edition

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Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today announced Batman™: Arkham Knightis scheduled to release worldwide beginning June 2, 2015.  Also revealed, are two collector’s editions –Batman: Arkham Knight Limited Edition and Batman: Arkham Knight Batmobile Edition.  Both will be available in limited quantities at launch in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft.  Batman: Arkham Knight Limited Edition will also be available in Europe, Australia and New Zealand for PC.

Batman: Arkham Knight Limited Edition will include:

  • Custom Art Book – 80 Page, Full Colour Art Book Showcasing the concept art of Batman Arkham Knight
  • Limited Edition SteelBook™ – Unique SteelBook™ case and game disc
  • Comic Book – Limited Edition DC Comics Batman: Arkham Knight #0 Comic Book
  • Exclusive Character Skin Pack – Three Unique Skins from DC Comics – The New 52
  • Batman Memorial Statue – Imposing statue commemorating Gotham’s Protector, the Dark Knight
  • SRP:

o   Console – $99.99 / 119.99 € / 89.99£

o   PC – 99.99€ / 74.99£

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Batman: Arkham Knight Batmobile Edition will include:

  • Custom Art Book – 80 Page, Full Colour Art Book Showcasing the concept art of Batman Arkham Knight
  • Limited Edition SteelBook™ – Unique SteelBook™ case and game disc
  • Comic Book – Limited Edition DC Comics Batman: Arkham Knight #0 Comic Book
  • Exclusive Character Skin Pack – Three Unique Skins from DC Comics – The New 52
  • Transforming Batmobile  Statue – Fully transformable Batmobile statue realised in exquisite detail by TriForce
  • SRP: $199.99 / 199.99€ / 169.99£ (Console only)

Batman: Arkham Knight is based on DC Comics’ core Batman license and will be available exclusively for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC.

Batman: Arkham Knight brings the award-winning Batman: Arkham trilogy from Rocksteady Studios to its epic conclusion. Developed exclusively for the New Generation of consoles and PCs, Batman: Arkham Knight introduces Rocksteady’s uniquely designed version of the Batmobile. The highly anticipated addition of this legendary vehicle, combined with the acclaimed gameplay of the Batman: Arkham series, offers gamers the ultimate and complete Batman experience as they tear through the streets and soar across the skyline of the entirety of Gotham City. In this explosive finale, Batman faces the ultimate threat against the city that he is sworn to protect, as Scarecrow returns to unite the super criminals of Gotham and destroy the Batman forever.

For more information on Batman: Arkham Knight, please visit www.batmanarkhamknight.com,https://www.facebook.com/BatmanArkham or https://twitter.com/BatmanArkham.

Slender: The Arrival Coming to Consoles

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Oakland, CASeptember 5, 2014 – You’re on your own. No one to come for you. No one to help you. No one to hear you scream. Slender: The Arrival, the official Slender Man video game, is coming September 23, 2014 on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and September 24, 2014 on the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, announced Midnight City, the independent publishing label of Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of games for the mass market.

Developed by four-person Toronto indie team Blue Isle Studios and the only official Slender Man game, The Arrival puts you in the epicenter of the mystery surrounding the enigmatic Internet persona that has captivated and terrorized millions. Slender: The Arrival wraps players in a dark, foreboding atmosphere and a story fraught with terror, paranoia and other-worldly forces.

Written by the creative team behind Marble Hornets, this latest iteration in the Slender Man universe expands the canon established by the original web-series, with some new twists and extended content. Building on the successful Steam launch last Halloween, Slender: The Arrival comes to consoles with brand new story elements and features extended levels that continue to unfold the Slender Man mythos. Players are enveloped in a world of sensory deprivation filled with haunting visions and audio cues that create an ominous backdrop perfect for fostering a healthy dose of tension and paranoia. Follow the clues and unravel the mystery, that is, if you can survive.

The new content will be offered to Steam and PC players who already own Slender: The Arrival at no additional charge as free DLC.

Slender: The Arrival is rated T for teen and will release in the US September 23, 2014 on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system for $9.99 digital download from the PlayStation Network, and on September 24, 2014 on Xbox 360 for $9.99 digital download from the Xbox Live Games Store.

Independent publishing label Midnight City will also release Costume Quest 2 this Halloween season from Double Fine Productions.

For more information, please visit our website: www.midnight-city.com

For more on Blue Isle Studios, please visit: www.blueislestudios.com

Follow us on:
Twitter: @Midnight_City https://twitter.com/Midnight_City

Casey Lynch Twitter: @Lynchtacular https://twitter.com/lynchtacular
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midnightcitygames
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MidnightCityEnt

Harmonix Music VR Announced for Samsung Gear VR

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Cambridge, MA – September 5th,  2014 – Harmonix is excited to announce “Harmonix Music VR,” an all new virtual reality music experience, will be coming to Samsung Gear VR, powered by Oculus.

“Harmonix Music VR” transports you to a fully immersive, music-driven dreamscape allowing you to experience your tunes like never before. It uses Harmonix’s proprietary Music Analysis Engine to generate a song-specific, high-resolution event sequence that drives the reactive elements in your virtual world. Sit back and relax, taking in the vibrant, musically responsive environment, or explore for even more audio visualizations set to your own tracks.

“Harmonix has always been interested in creating fundamentally new ways for people to interact with music,” says studio CEO Steve Janiak. “There’s an incredible amount of potential for this with virtual reality, and ‘Harmonix Music VR’ is just one way we can deliver on these types of innovative experiences. We can’t wait to hear what people think about this new way to experience the music they love.”

“Harmonix Music VR” will be available alongside Samsung’s Gear VR when it launches later this year.

Mortal Kombat X Release Date and Pre-Order Character Revealed

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Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today confirmed that Mortal Kombat X, in development by NetherRealm Studios, is scheduled for release worldwide beginning April 14, 2015. The game will be available for the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC.

Legendary series character Goro has also been announced as a retail channel-wide pre-order exclusive. Making his first appearance in more than eight years, Goro, the feral, four-armed Shokan warrior will be available day of launch as a playable combatant to those who pre-order Mortal Kombat X.

Mortal Kombat X is NetherRealm Studios’ next highly anticipated installment in its legendary, critically acclaimed fighting game franchise that propels the iconic franchise into a new generation.  The game combines cinematic presentation with all new gameplay to deliver the most brutal Kombat experience ever, offering a new fully-connected experience that launches players into a persistent online contest where every fight matters in a global battle for supremacy.  For the first time, Mortal Kombat X gives players the ability to choose from multiple variations of each character impacting both strategy and fighting style. Players step into an original story showcasing some of the game’s most prolific characters including Scorpion and Sub-Zero, while introducing new challengers that represent the forces of good and evil and tie the tale together.

For more information about Mortal Kombat X, please visit www.mortalkombat.com and www.facebook.com/MortalKombat.