Author - Jerry Paxton

Razer Launches Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox 360

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CARLSBAD, Calif. – May 16, 2013 – Razer™, the world leader in high-performance gaming hardware, software and systems, today announced the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox 360®, the final product following an extensive beta testing program.

Tested by some of the world’s best pro-gamers and Fighting Game Community members all over the world, the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick is constructed with modders and tournament gamers in mind.  Featuring premium quality Sanwa™ components, the 10 highly responsive buttons and a precision eight-way joystick allow gamers to strike instantly and surely, game after game, while maintaining peak performance and reliability.

An extremely moddable controller, the inside of the arcade stick platform opens up at the touch of a button, making the Razer Atrox  a breeze to customize for all tastes and play styles. Users can swap in their own personal designs for a unique look, while also getting access to the internal compartments and honeycomb structure for easy screw mounting.

The easily accessible internal compartment of the Razer Atrox reveals dedicated slots to store an included alternate bat top joystick, the detachable cable, and a screwdriver for modding, giving gamers plenty of room for storage as they travel around dominating FGC events.

“Following a huge beta testing program, we’re confident that we’ve built an arcade stick enthusiasts will love,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder, CEO and creative director. “We know that the Fighting Game Community is huge on modding their arcade sticks, and that is why we made the Razer Atrox extremely mod friendly. We are excited to see what extreme mods the Razer Atrox will be the base for.”

About the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox 360®

Arcade gaming has come a long way since its glory days– an era woven into the fabric of gaming history as one that paved the way for innovation, and also one that brought us bittersweet nostalgia. Hours spent at the arcade honed the gamer in you; for every coin you inserted, every combo you executed, every hit you took, and every ultra you unleashed in return – you became a better player.  And this is the approach we took when designing the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick.

Years upon years of collective gaming experience from pro-gamers and you, the Razer community, have culminated in the ultimate Arcade Stick for the Xbox 360.  Engineered and refined to perfection through countless prototypes and an extensive beta testing phase, the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick is crafted to allow advanced modification – With internals and storage easily accessible at the touch of a button, the joystick, all 10 buttons and the top panel are fully interchangeable for full customizability.  And that’s just the beginning.

Featuring genuine Sanwa hardware and an ergonomically authentic arcade layout, the Razer Atrox represents the pinnacle of precision and reliability and is the definitive Arcade Stick for tournament-grade gaming.

Forged from the fires of an arcade gaming legacy, the Razer Atrox is, in the most primeval sense, Bred to Fight.

Price:

U.S. $199.99 / EU €199.99

Availability:
Razerzone.com – Pre Order on 21st May 2013
Japan – May 2013
Worldwide – June 2013

Product features:

  • 10 tournament-grade Sanwa buttons
  • Authentic Sanwa joystick with ball top and additional bat top
  • Interchangeable top plate allows for custom artwork finishes
  • Fully accessible internals and storage compartments for easy modding
  • Honeycomb structure on the inside for easy screw mounting
  • Storage room for alternative bat top joystick and more
  • 13 ft / 4 m detachable USB cable
  • Screwdriver included for modding
  • 2.5 mm audio jack for headset use on Xbox LIVE

For more information about the Razer Atrox, please visit www.razerzone.com/atrox.

Star Trek Rivals Launch Trailer

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MAY 16th, 2013 — Elephant Mouse is excited to announce a brand new addition to the Star Trek universe with Star Trek™ Rivals, a free-to-play card battle game set to materialize alongside the debut of the new film, Star Trek Into Darkness.

Join the legendary crew of the USS Enterprise in this strategic, turn-based, card battle game, including chief medical officer Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, communications officer Nyota Uhura, chief engineer “Scotty,” and Captain James T. Kirk. Collect and upgrade cards and battle friends and foes alike in your pursuit of the ultimate winning hand.

With more than 100 cards for players to collect, featuring characters, starships, and technologies seen in the film Star Trek Into Darkness, the central cast reports to their posts and readies for turn-based battle!

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Ride to Hell Screenshots and Trailer

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Larkspur, Calif., May 16, 2013 — Tired of dithering between action and strategic thinking? Deep Silver now combines both aspects in one game: Ride to Hell: Route 666 lets players experience the whole lifestyle of biker gangs, but those who want to dominate the infamous Route 66 need to act smart. In this new trailer, different classes of gang members and enemies are explained as well as how to arrange formations and how to finish off opposing bikers in close combat. Set up your team, choose your weapons and hit the road! Ride to Hell: Route 666 is scheduled for release on the PlayStation® Store and on Xbox Live® as an arcade game for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft this summer.

Ride to Hell: Route 666 is set within the Ride to Hell universe, a world of bare-knuckle violence, and rip-roaring motorcycles. Later this year the setting will be extended by two further titles featuring the unique and incomparable biker lifestyle; Ride to Hell: Retribution and Ride to Hell: Beatdown.

Ride to Hell: Retribution tells the story of a lone rider, Jake Conway, a man with either a gun in his hand or a girl on his lap (and on more than one occasion both!). He’s on a merciless path of revenge against a brutal biker gang called The Devil’s Hand, armed to the teeth with an arsenal of deadly weapons to enact his vengeance on foot and on bike. The only law Jake answers to is his own.  Hit hard, ride fast and leave ’em in the dust starting June 2013 for Xbox 360, Windows® PC, and PlayStation®3.

The Ride to Hell universe will be rounded out with Ride to Hell: Beatdown, a rock’n’roll brawler set to light up the mobile space, on the go! More details on this title will follow soon.

Ride to Hell: Retribution is developed by Eutechnyx, Ride to Hell: Route 666 by Black Forest Games.

For more information about the Ride to Hell universe, please visit www.ridetohell.com.

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15-Year Anniversary World of Tanks Tournaments

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May 16, 2013 — Wargaming, the leading free-to-play MMO developer and publisher, today announced a special World of Tanks tournament in celebration of the company’s 15th anniversary. The tournament will unfold in key regions around the globe, including Europe, North America, Russia, South Korea, Southeast Asia, China, and Vietnam. Winning teams from each region will score themselves an all-expenses-paid trip to the World of Tanks development studio located in Minsk, Belarus.

Following a traditional eSports 7 vs. 7 format, the tournaments will kick off in May, with final games scheduled for the end of June. Second and third place finishers won’t walk away empty-handed and will take home massive in-game gold prizes for their efforts.

“This is a great opportunity for teams around the globe to show their peers and prove they have what it takes to really be the best at World of Tanks,” said Alexey Kuznetsov, eSports Lead at Wargaming. “We’re extremely excited to welcome the winning teams to Belarus and give them a closer look at how their favorite game is made.

 

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing Hunters Lair Trailer

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May 16th, 2013 — Indie developer NeocoreGames debuted today the trailer for the Hunter’s Lair – a secret hideout for the legendary vampire hunter to meet with allies and accept new quests – for its gothic-noir steampunk action-RPG, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing. Set to release on Windows® PC on May 22, 2013, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing will be made available for $14.99 on Steam.

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CAA Roni Pistol-Carbine Conversion for P226 Series Review (Airsoft)

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CAA Airsoft sent us over one of their new CAA RONI Pistol-Carbine Conversion Kits for P226 series Airsoft handguns. These pistol-carbine conversion kits are making their way into all sorts of real steel applications these days. Naturally, the Airsoft world follows suit and creates equivalents for us BB-shooters out there. This new RONI Pistol-Carbine Conversion Kit promises to give pistoleers the increased accuracy and stability of a carbine without sacrificing the maneuverability of a pistol.

The CAA RONI Pistol-Carbine Conversion Kit features  a sweet, fold-out fore grip, QD sling points, multi-position stock with cheek riser, dual flip-up sights, extra magazine holder, and manual trigger guard.

Installing the 226 pistol into the RONI conversion kit is a very straight-forward process, given that you don’t have a KWA model. If that’s the case, then you need to physically-modify the RONI kit by pulling off some small plastic “ribs” that hold certain 226 models in place. Once done, the no-tool bolts are easily manipulated and the gun will fit like a glove. I would recommend that you add some teflon grease to the inside of the ABS plastic where the pistol slide will ride against, just to make sure that everything moves freely.

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Two “ribs” that might need removing

Using the RONI Pistol-Carbine conversion kit is simply a joy. The company has accurately recreated the feel of using the real-steel conversion kit, albeit in an Airsoft form. I especially loved how quickly the extra magazine holder allowed me to reload the pistol. You can go from mag release to dump pouch to extra mag to insertion in a few seconds. This means that you will not spend a lot of time fumbling about trying to reload. CAA Airsoft has also included their “standard” bells and whistles like flip-up sights and a cheek riser – further adding to user comfort.

Overall, I enjoyed the added stability and accuracy which the CAA RONI conversion kit provided my KWA M226 pistol. However, adapting the RONI to fit my KWA M226 was an unnerving chore as I was afraid I would break the kit altogether. For $120 dollars, I want to feel comfortable with my purchase and I don’t know if a retailer would exchange a “rib removal” gone wrong. Aside from this, the conversion kit makes a great accessory for pistoleers out there – adding both stability and comfort, while also increasing accuracy.

[easyreview title=”CAA Roni Pistol-Carbine Conversion for P226 Series Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″] Our Rating Scores Explained

[wpcol_1half id=”” class=”” style=””]Pros

  • Good build quality
  • Hard ABS plastic is surprisingly rugged
  • Staying true to its promise, this kit does increase pistol stability and accuracy
  • Gives platform for more advanced rail accessories

[/wpcol_1half] [wpcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=””]Cons

  • Having to cut off the plastic ribs is a big pain – especially if you end up getting a different brand of pistol down the road

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ROCCAT HIRO 3D Supremacy Surface Review

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ROCCAT’s new HIRO 3D Supremacy Surface is a new mouse pad that brings a lot of style and attitude to bear. On the package is a disclaimer that the mouse pad is designed for mice up to 16800 dpi… This, despite the fact that even ROCCAT’s highest-end gaming mouse only goes up to 8200 dpi, is more of an advertisement which is meant to stress the product’s quality. ROCCAT has clearly put a lot of quality into this mouse pad, with a full silicone backside that prevents slipping to a nicely-textured mousing area with no-fray edges. At a spacious 13.8×9.8-inches in dimension, you have plenty of room to move your mouse around.

The HIRO retails for $49.99, making it an expensive gaming surface to purchase. However, we were very impressed with the pad’s durability and can understand why it is so pricey. Additionally, you can feel the build quality while holding it – it never feels like a simple piece of cloth or rubber. The HIRO is weighty, weighing in at 10.2 ounces. Again, you can feel the quality. The mousing side is of average comfort – no worse than any other mouse pad I have used. However, unlike many others, the HIRO has a bit of a bounce to it – which helps absorb the shock of bringing your mouse and wrist down on it. It’s a little thing to mention but, for a professional gamer, every edge counts and can help you win your game or tournament.

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Pros

  • Just the right size – not too big, not too small
  • Doesn’t budge at all when placed on desk
  • Comfortable to use for long periods of time

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Cons

  • Pricey for a mouse pad

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I have been consistently impressed with ROCCAT’s entries into the North American marketplace. Their products have some serious quality to them and this mouse pad is no different. I used the HIRO over a multitude of play sessions – games from Left 4 Dead 2, CoD: Black Ops 2, and a whole lot more. Actually, as I type this review, the HIRO is sitting underneath my gaming mouse. Overall, the ROCCAT HIRO 3D Supremacy Surface is an excellent mouse pad for your favorite gaming mouse. It will take your gaming mouse’s sensor to its limit in terms of sensitivity and is plenty durable enough to keep up with even your most lengthy gaming sessions.

[easyreview title=”ROCCAT HIRO Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″] Our Rating Scores Explained

Magicka: Wizard Wars First Screenshots

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NEW YORK — May 15, 2013 — Paradox Interactive, a publisher of games and a shooter of screens, today released the first-ever screenshots for Magicka: Wizard Wars, the 4-on-4 team-based PvP title from their new studio, Paradox North. Using an untested image-capturing spell that may or may not have stolen the souls of every wizard pictured in the new screens, Paradox is more than willing to take that risk in order to give the world its first look at Magicka: Wizard Wars in action.

In Magicka: Wizard Wars, two teams of four wizards each will tangle, tango, and possibly ingest tangy tangerines in pitched battles, utilizing the iconic dynamic spellcasting of Magicka along with some new tricks. In true Magicka fashion, wizards who can think fast and aim away from their allies’ faces will win the day. With short battles, skill-based spellcasting, and an overabundance of marvelous robes,Magicka: Wizard Wars aims to provide multiplayer aficionados with a new option for PvP mayhem.

To learn more about Magicka: Wizard Wars, visit www.wizardwars.com.

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