Author - Jerry Paxton

During my time at the Atari booth, I had the chance to play both the Warlords and Centipede reboots.  I used to love playing Centipede as a kid at the arcade, and Centipede: Infestation definitely keeps the nostalgia alive while giving the game a modern flair.

Centipede: Infestation is being developed for the Nintendo Wii and 3DS, and features isometric 3/4 view game play, though each map is no larger than what you see on the screen.  Each level starts out with swarms of minor bugs (like, Left4Dead-type swarms) followed by a boss fight with a centipede.

At the moment, one hit from a bug equals instant death, though Centipede: Infestation is still pre-alpha, and the developer I spoke with claimed they were exploring the option of a health bar.

The player can obtain upgraded weapons, as well as set up turrets in a way that gives the game a tower defense feel.  Overall, for a casual game, it looks fun, and I’m excited to learn more!

KEY FEATURES:

• Reimagined version of the classic gaming franchise designed specifically for the Nintendo Wii and 3DS
• Explore an expansive new world with 7 environments, 40 stages and 5 boss battles
• Choose from over 20 different weapons and power-ups to battle against more than 20 different types of bugs
• Immersive storyline filled with a variety of gameplay and intrigue
• Team up with a friend to kill even more bugs with 2 player co-op multiplayer
• Unique “street pass” feature for 3DS – Unique content shared between passing Nintendo 3DS units

During my time at the Atari booth, I had the chance to play both the Warlords and Centipede reboots.  While I had an Atari 2600 growing up, Warlords was not among my titles, so this was my first experience with the IP.   I have to admit that Warlords requires some pretty intense multi-tasking.  While apparently simple in design (I played the game in top-down mode, though you can switch to an 3/4 view which I liked much better), you have to swing a shield to protect your castle from 8 fireballs that are floating around the board, and even being ricocheted your way by enemy castles.  Each castle is at one of the four corners of a square, and in the center, you also control a knight who can acquire power ups and repairs to your castle walls.  Let me tell you, controlling both the knight AND the shield protecting your walls was no easy task!

There is no specific release date for Warlords, but we’re hearing Summer 2011 for both the Xbox and PS3.

More information from Atari below:

GAME OVERVIEW

Show no mercy and take no prisoners as you fight to the death for title of the almighty Warlord.  Defend your castle from mischievous minions and ferocious fireballs spun from the mouth of a maniacal dragon in this whimsical reinvention of the beloved classic.  In the ultimate battle of speed, strategy and survival, command your troops with shrewdness and skill to capture control points, collect power-ups and destroy the other warring factions!

KEY FEATURES

• Protect the stronghold! Defend your castle walls from the destruction of fast-flying fireballs with your mighty shield.  Move the shield around the perimeter of your castle with precision and speed to deflect the fireballs or grab onto and charge fireballs to release even more devastating attacks back at your opponents.
• Multiple local/online game modes sweeten the quest for power and allow for cooperative and competitive battles with up to 4 players.  Select the faction of your choice and engage in a number of competitive variations, including co-op siege mode, 2v2 or classic free-for-all battles.
• Rally your troops and pit them against your foes. Your loyal posse brings a layer of depth and replayability to every battle, and can be sent off to capture control points, gather power-ups to immobilize your enemies or bolster your defenses.  Manage your troops wisely to gain the battlefield advantage!

Earlier today, I had a chance to get some hands-on time with Atari’s upcoming MMO Tera.  Tera was originally developed for the South Korean market, and the developers are making a push for the Western world.

Tera is new IP, and features a zone-less world spanning several continents and nations.  While there is no launch date locally, the game is live in Korea, where the current level cap is 58.  Tera’s developers made an effort to keep the user-interface simple and small to engross the player with the world.

Combat is a click-to-slash system requiring 100% of a player’s focus to defeat enemies.  Dungeons are instanced, with sets appearing every eight levels or so, starting with level twenty.

What sets Tera apart from other MMOs is that the high end game is very political, and not in the internal-catty way MMO guilds can sometimes be.  No, the Tera developers gave high end players the ability to RULE their respective nations.  Rulers can impose taxes, hold events, and even “silence” players who annoy them.  The office of ruler is obtained following either a popular vote, or trial by combat.

I asked my contact if one nation had the ability to invade another and the response I received was a wink, followed by “We’re not announcing anything about that yet.”

I take that as a yes!

Bethesda Softworks has announced that its upcoming Oblivion 5th Anniversary Edition will launch on July 12th, 2011. The game retails for $29.99 and will be available on the Windows PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

The Elder Scrolls IV™: Oblivion® 5th Anniversary Edition includes:

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: With the empire ready to crumble, the gates of Oblivion open and demons march upon the land. You must find the lost heir to the throne and unravel the sinister plot that threatens to destroy all of Tamriel.

Knights of the Nine: A fallen King has been unchained from the darkness of Oblivion to seek vengeance upon the Gods who banished him. Only a champion pure of heart can vanquish the evil that has been released.

Shivering Isles: Enter the torn realm of Sheogorath – a world where Mania and Dementia reign. Do you have the strength to survive his trials, to tame a realm fraught with paranoia and despair, and wear the mantle of a God?

The North American 5th Anniversary Edition also includes:

Collector’s Steelbook: A beautiful collectible metal case masterfully embossed with Daedric symbols.

Making of Oblivion: A behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of Oblivion.

Oblivion Game Map: A full-color map of Cyrodiil and the Shivering Isles.

Save on Skyrim: Contains a $10 mail-in rebate offer for the purchase of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and a Skyrim strategy guide.

Details on the versions that will be available in the rest of the world and their contents will be released soon.