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Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light Avatars On XBLA

TurtleGirl — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:25:55 +0000

Crystal Dynamics is pleased to announce that Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light Premium Theme and Avatar are coming to Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

In Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Lara Croft joins forces with Totec, The Guardian of Light, in order to fight off an ancient evil threatening to engulf the world in never-ending darkness. Players will journey through the game in a franchise first isometric cooperative adventure that aims to deliver intense action and bite-sized puzzles.

You don’t have to wait until Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is released to get started! Head over to the Xbox LIVE Avatar Marketplace from July 29th, 2010 for your first chance to get Lara Croft gear for your Xbox LIVE Avatar in one of the many themed outfits and accessories from the game. Whether it’s Lara’s iconic shorts or Totec’s battledress, you can experience part of the brand new adventure early by equipping your Avatar with plenty of colorful and intricate new outfits and accessories! Items range from 40 Microsoft Points to 240 Microsoft Points.

A Premium Theme is also available now on Xbox LIVE. Deck your console out with The Lava Tomb as Xolotl and his minions take over your system in this haunting theme for your Xbox. The Lava Tomb is available for download now on Xbox LIVE for 240 Microsoft Points.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light will launch on August 18th, 2010 as part of Xbox LIVE Arcade’s Summer of Arcade, delivering this season’s biggest and best downloadable games. Available for 1200 Microsoft Points, the game is rated T for Teen by the ESRB.

For more information, please visit www.laracroftandtheguardianoflight.com

London MCM Expo Announcement

TurtleGirl — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:51:43 +0000

EA Games has announced that eagerly-awaited titles Dead Space 2 and Medal of Honor will be on show at the next London MCM Expo, which is held at Excel on 29-31 October and closes out the month-long London Games Festival.

Having trailed the original Dead Space at London MCM Expo, Midlands MCM Expo and Memorabilia, the videogames publisher returns to offer show visitors an über early sneak peek of the much-anticipated sequel, set to hit shelves in January 2011.

Dead Space 2 ramps up the horror action even further as lone survivor Isaac Clarke struggles to keep his sanity while taking on relentless necromorph onslaughts. Players will be kept on the edge of their seats as Isaac fights bigger, scarier and more epic battles than ever before aboard an all-new space installation known as ‘The Sprawl’.

London MCM Expo is also delighted to announce that Dead Space 2’s writer, award-winning British author Antony Johnston, will also be attending the show. Best known for the post-apocalypse comic Wasteland, Johnston came to the MCM Expo a few years ago with artist Ben Templesmith to promote their Dead Space graphic novel.

Meanwhile Medal of Honor sees the best-selling FPS franchise leave the WWII theatre for the first time in its 11-year history for the modern setting of war-torn Afghanistan. Players will step into the shoes of the Tier 1 Operators, an elite band of Special Forces soldiers who take on the missions that no one else can handle.

Placing an emphasis on realism, Medal of Honor offers a seamless single player campaign, with gamers taking on the role of multiple characters across a series of exciting and immersive missions, as well as an adrenaline-pumping multiplayer mode.

For more MCM Expo information, visit our new website at: www.londonexpo.com

Monster Jam: Path of Destruction

TurtleGirl — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:59:12 +0000

Activision announced the official name of the upcoming Monster Jam videogame – Monster Jam: Path of Destruction. The video game will be available at retail on November 9, 2010 on Wii, Nintendo DS, the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and PSP.

Monster Jam: Path of Destruction is the ultimate, authentic monster truck experience complete with unprecedented realism, customization, truck handling and all-out destruction. Fan-favorites Grave Digger,Maximum Destruction, and Grinder are all in the mix, and players can also create and customize their own trucks with thousands of options, unlocking new parts and upgrades as they progress through the game with the ultimate goal of reaching of reaching the Monster Jam World Finals.

Monster Jam: Path of Destruction is being developed with the most advanced vehicle handling ever. Gamers will be able to compete in the most popular Monster Jam stadiums, and will be blown away by the overall gaming experience and realism.

More information on the game’s features will be revealed over the summer and fall.

This game is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information visit www.MonsterJam.com or www.activision.com.

XBLA – Under the Microscope

TurtleGirl — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:01:12 +0000

It’s that time of year again to look at figures and statistics and look at XBLA under the microscope

As per the Research & Analysis division of analyst firm Forecasting & Analyzing Digital Entertainment, LLC (FADE) gaming on Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) grew by double-digit numbers during the first half of the year, after a sluggish start in January and February which saw numbers down year over year. Overall, the XBLA market place grew 13% to $46.1 million USD by the end of June. June 2010 capped off the first half with an impressive 36% increase compared to last year’s June 2009.

FADE reports that the major turning point in 2010 for XBLA came during the heavily promoted ‘Block Party’ event, which started in March and featured four titles: ‘Toy Soldiers’, ‘Perfect Dark’, ‘Scrap Metal’ and ‘Game Room’. ‘Toy Soldiers’ and ‘Perfect Dark’ both took in over $2 million USD during the first half, placing each among the top five by revenue. The free-to-download classic title destination ‘Game Room’ also saw success, with over a million downloads shortly after release.

March started the positive trend, posting a strong 41% year-over-year increase in revenues, which began a consecutive 4-month run of double digit gains in revenue when compared to 2009. Starting in April, Microsoft began to aggressively promote price drops on dozens of titles, starting with the ‘Inventory Blowout’ sale which ran for one week in April, and included 10 titles. Throughout the second quarter, multiple sales were offered on titles, totaling over 40 titles offered on discount. These sales were seen as a success, as many titles saw revenue increases of between 50-200%. “We saw Microsoft take a very different approach to product deployment strategies this year,” said Benjamin Schlichter, Director of Research and Analysis for FADE. “The second quarter of the year has traditionally been their weakest, and they made great strides to improve the performance during the period, as revenue increased 24% compared to the year prior during a period when much of the rest of the industry is down.”

FADE maintains that Xbox Live Arcade will realize an estimated $130 million to $140 million by the end of the year, following strong hardware sales due to a solid holiday lineup, the new Slim console, and marketing for the motion-sensing Kinect hardware. Most notably, Microsoft’s 3rd annual ‘Summer of Arcade’ is anticipated to be met with impressive sales, following the implementation of their new ‘Destination Arcade’ UI.

Kinect brings an air of unpredictability to the mix. FADE research believes that Kinect pricing may dampen sales for the hardware slightly, but the possibilities of the platform may yield impressive revenues for Arcade developers looking to leverage the new platform for mini-games and unique, affordable experiences.

FADE Top 10 Estimates for H1 2010, by Revenue

Toy Soldiers (Signal Studios) – $4.6 million (1200 Microsoft Points)

Trials HD (RedLynx) – $4.4 million (800 – 1200 Microsoft Points)

Castle Crashers (The Behemoth) – $2.9 million (800 – 1200 Microsoft Points)

Battlefield 1943 (EA DICE) – $2.5 million (800 – 1200 Microsoft Points)

Perfect Dark (4J Studios) – $2.4 million (800 Microsoft Points)

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Capcom) – $1.8 million (800 – 1200 Microsoft Points)

Family Game Night (EA Bright Light) – $1.7 million (400 – 800 Microsoft Points)

Shadow Complex (Chair Entertainment) – $1.2 million (800 – 1200 Microsoft Points)

Magic: The Gathering (Stainless Games) – $900,000 (800 Microsoft Points)

Call of Duty Classic (Infinity Ward) – $800,000 (1200 Microsoft Points)

Eurogamer announce Konami Line Up

TurtleGirl — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:57:07 +0000

Eurogamer, announce Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH will be featuring an amazing trio of titles for the Eurogamer Expo at Earls Court on October 1st – 3rd, 2010.

Def Jam Rapstar, Saw II: Flesh & Blood and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will be headlining for Konami on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 giving Expo-goers an exclusive chance to try them out before they release this Autumn.

Def Jam Rapstar is the first true interactive Hip Hop music game. The ultimate emcee experience for video game consoles, Def Jam Rapstar is the only music game that focuses exclusively on Hip Hop, you and your social networks. With more than 40 of the greatest Hip Hop songs available at release, from A Tribe Called Quest’s ultimate posse track “Scenario” to Ludacris’ hit single “Stand Up” and Chipmunk’s “Chip Diddy Chip”, Def Jam Rapstar allows you to be the star by rhyming, using your console camera, and uploading your video to the fully integrated Def Jam Rapstar community at www.defjamrapstar.com.

The eagerly awaited sequel, Saw II: Flesh & Blood, invites players back into Jigsaw’s twisted world, and promises all-new stomach-twisting traps and puzzles, more visceral combat, and an all-new storyline that takes place between the second and third movie. As such, players can delve deeper into the horror and mystery of Jigsaw’s terrified subjects.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is an epic 3D action title set in a ravaged Europe of the middle ages. The planet has been devastated by a powerful magic. The souls of the dead are trapped on our earthly plane unable to find peace, and inhuman creatures of nightmare now roam the Earth, wreaking havoc. Having witnessed his wife Marie (voiced by Natascha McKelhone) murdered at their hands, Gabriel (Robert Carlyle) pledges revenge against those responsible: the mysterious Lords of Shadow.

Rupert Loman, Managing Director at Eurogamer said: “It’s great to have Konami onboard with such a fantastic line up, particularly one that demonstrates the eclectic mix of games that will be on show and, most importantly, playable.”

More information and tickets are available at http://expo.eurogamer.net

Faery: Legends of Avalon

TurtleGirl — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:17:53 +0000

We are very pleased to present today new images of Faery: Legends of Avalon, the upcoming RPG from Spiders studio for PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade and for download on PC!

Faery: Legends of Avalon is a Role Playing / Adventure game packed with an original and unique atmosphere, and a graphics design close to illustration. The game immerses players in a fantasy world inhabited by many colourful characters and magical creatures.

In Faery: Legends of Avalon, the player plays as an elf or a fairy that will evolve during the story, through numerous quests and epic turn-based battles.

Throughout the adventure, the player will customize his avatar thanks to a unique system changing not only the whole look of the character in every detail, but also its spells and special abilities!

The player will recruit various companions during his journey to assist him in his mission, and he will be given the chance to explore mythical places full of magic such as the World Tree, the famous ‘Flying Dutchman’ ghost ship, and many others, in order to try to understand why the Kingdom of Avalon is dying.

Golden Joystick Awards announce ITN’s Game On as Media Partner

TurtleGirl — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:06:04 +0000

Future’s Golden Joystick Awards is proud to announce ITN’s Game On as a media partner for this year’s event, which will be held in London on 29th October.

ITN’s popular and fast growing Game On show will create exclusive and extensive footage of the awards which attracted over 1.2 million public votes last year. There will be a series of specially created video clips providing a run down of each category in the 2010 Golden Joystick Awards.
There are some new awards this year, including The ITN Game On Shooter of the Year and honours for the best titles in specific genres, including Action, Strategy and Music.

Mark Browning, Managing Director at ITN Productions said, “As the UK’s leading entertainment show on video gaming online, we’re delighted to be working with the UK’s biggest games awards. We look forward to creating exciting Joysticks related content for Game On users in the run up to the event.”

“The Golden Joysticks continue to grow in size and popularity and we are delighted to welcome ITN and its Game On audience to the awards adding a new dimension. We look forward to announcing additional sponsors and partners over the coming weeks” said Emma Parkinson, Event Organiser of the Golden Joystick Awards. You can see the full list of nominees and cast your votes at the official event website www.goldenjoystick.com

Last year saw Activision’s blockbuster Call of Duty series dominating the event, scooping three awards, while gamer power won out as Fallout 3 was named ‘Ultimate Game of the Year’. Once again, the combined might of the online community was recognised when fans of ‘Runescape’, the world’s largest free-to-play MMORPG rallied to honour Jagex as ‘UK Developer of the Year’.

The Golden Joystick Awards, produced by Future, the special-interest media group, is voted for by the only people who matter – gamers. It is known by many as ‘the people’s gaming awards’ and also held in high esteem by the video games industry, with nearly 1,000 executives attending the glittering ceremony.

The ever-growing Golden Joystick Awards is the ultimate accolade in gaming since 1982 and is now recognised as the biggest and most popular gaming awards on the planet. 1,223,646 votes were cast by gamers in 2009 as the Joysticks scooped it’s own honour, being named ‘Worlds most popular video games awards’ by Guinness World Records.

Visit http://www.goldenjoystick.com today and make your vote count!

Bonk: Brink of Extinction

TurtleGirl — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:48:09 +0000

Hudson Soft, resurrects one of their most iconic characters on Xbox LIVE Arcade, PlayStation Network and WiiWare in early 2010. The updated side scrolling adventure features next generation graphics meets retro gameplay style. With classic 2D platforming in a 3D world, Bonk: Brink of Extinction combines new enemies, collectables, downloadable content and online play for the first time in the series.

“As one of the most recognizable characters in gaming history, the return of Bonk has been widely requested by fans for years,” said Sabine Duvall, Vice President of Product Development at Hudson Entertainment. “Bonk: Brink of Extinction will delight fans as well as new gamers with its retro yet modern gameplay, updated graphics and online play!”

Bonk: Brink of Extinction is an all new downloadable adventure featuring story mode with co-op play. The loveable caveman Bonk and his huge head returns to save the world from a doomsday comet on a collision course with Earth. Meanwhile the comet’s magnetic field is driving the planet’s creatures crazy and smaller bits of debris are smashing into the jungle near Bonk’s home. Bonk must swim, bite, climb, jump, run and headbutt his way through jungles, deserts and volcanic caverns while earning power ups, reaching check points and gaining extra health on a perilous journey to the very center of the planet. Bonk: Brink of Extinction also features new transformations as Bonk morphs into eight different forms by eating meat or encountering Primordial Ooze.

Initially made for NEC’s TurboGrafx-16 console in 1990, Bonk’s Adventure was a platform adventure title that earned a committed fan base and earned Game of the Year honors. Bonk’s Revenge and Bonk 3: Bonk’s Big Adventure followed up the classic title on TurboGrafx-16. Nintendo also featured Bonk in the Gameboy title also named Bonk’s Revenge and Super Bonk for the Super NES. With the introduction of the Nintendo Wii’s Virtual Console, Hudson brought back Bonk’s Adventure as the first title available under the TurboGrafx-16 library.

For more information on Bonk: Brink of Extinction and other titles, please visit Hudson Entertainment at www.hudsonent.com

British ‘Toy Story’ fan gets a Buzz out of name change

GG Goblin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:12:41 +0000

Steve Bolton, a 26 year old mechanic from West Bromwich, has had his name changed to Buzz Lightyear to celebrate the launch of Toy Story 3.

The massive Toy Story fan told The Sun: ‘My girlfriend is going to love telling people she’s going out with Buzz Lightyear.

‘I hope kids will ask me for my autograph. It’s going to feel great signing my name and introducing myself to people.’

I guess it takes all sorts. I would love to be a fly on the wall should he ever get pulled up for speeding or some other offence:

“Can I have your name please sir?”

“Sure, it’s Buzz Lightyear”

“Really…”

Commander: Conquest of the Americas Demo Available

TurtleGirl — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:32:17 +0000

In anticipation of its upcoming release on July 30th, Paradox Interactive has released the demo of the upcoming naval strategy game Commander: Conquest of the Americas.

Combining elements from both trading and strategy games, Commander: Conquest of the Americas appeals to a wide range of players.

The demo offers gamers a free chance to take charge of one of the many European powers and attempt to conquer the New World. Founding new colonies and then making them thrive is key to success. In order to accomplish this, players need to manage and optimize resources and production in their colonies, before transporting the goods to other colonies or back to Europe.

For a full list of download links to the demo please visit: www.cota-game.com/?page=demo

Weekly XBL Update

Tracey McGarrigan — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:31:17 +0000

This month officially got a whole lot better, as it’s the season of great games on XBL’s Summer of Arcade! Over the next 5 weeks, we’ll see some fabulous titles on offer starting with the absolutely brilliant Limbo (see below) then followed by Hydro Thunder Hurricane (28th July), Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (4th August), Monday Night Combat (11th August) and finally the lovely Lara Croft and the Guardian and Light rounding things up (18th August). Now for even better news, if you download all five titles, Microsoft will give you 1200MP to spend. Now that’s the kind of summer deal I like:

Limbo – 1200MP

Limbo is a masterful dark puzzle platformer with amazing charcoal misty scenery. You play the shadowy Boy, making his way through the eerie and forbidding forest as he searches for his sister. The controls are simple (move, jump and push/drag) and as he has no weapons, only wits and speed alone will get you past the monsters and traps that await you in the dark. The soundtrack comprises only of sound effects – heavy rain, creaking branches or Boy’s footsteps through the grass whilst the puzzles are ingenious and require logical thinking, physics, gravity and courage to solve. Fantastically atmospheric and with great game play, this is definitely the game of the summer and should be a serious contender for game of the year. For the GGUK review: http://tinyurl.com/339lx9l

Elsewhere to buy:

Stuntman: Ignition – £14.99

You always hear those people who work in the movies claim it’s not as glamorous as you’d think and this game does give you a sense of that. You are the newest stuntman on the back lot and to make a name for yourself, you’re going to have to pull off some almighty impressive stunts whilst satisfying the director. This means playing the same scene over and over and over until you reach perfection run and earn the admiration of Hollywood. You get 36 different challenges and 25 vehicles with which to rack up combos, done by adding jumps, drifts and near misses during your scene, which adds some thrills though I think this is for gamers with lightening quick reactions who like to gain every achievement and will play a title repeatedly to keep bettering their score rather than the whiz-throughs. Be sure to check out the multi-player option for nitro boosted chaotic races.

Facebreaker – £14.99

Brought to you by EA Freestyle, this game is a million miles away from EA’s more triumphant Fight Night Round 4 which appeared on XBL a couple of weeks ago. Though more of a fighting than a boxing game, it lacks the realism, balance, aesthetic and overall satisfaction of FNR4, which I would recommend you seek out instead of this. The less said about this game, the better so moving on……

Add-Ons now and it’s all music! Must be festival season:

Guitar Hero 5

Disturbing tracks this week, quite literally! Get the Disturbed Track Pack for 440MP or buy each track individually for 160MP:
”Down With the Sickness” by Disturbed
”Indestructible” by Disturbed
”Stricken” by Disturbed

Rock Band

Not a Disturbed fan? Fear not as Rock Band has a variety this week for 160Mp each:
”New Dark Ages” by Bad Religion
”No Control” by Bad Religion
”1969” by The Stooges
”I Wanna Be Your Dog” by The Stooges
”No Fun” by The Stooges
You can buy the final three tracks listed above in The Stooges Pack01 for 440MP

Phantasy Star Universe
Ambition of the Illuminus – FREE

This is an important enhanced edition Add-On for all Phantasy fans wanting to play online from now on. You’ll carry on your Gurhal System adventures as before but now get fast –paced MMO action plus a massive number of character customisation options. This expansion adds new missions, items and interface upgrades which will enhance your monster battling teams and make decorating your shops and rooms even more fun!

Finally, Indie Games and sadly, there’s lots of cheap classic imitations of bubble popping, word searching, minesweeping titles this week. Thankfully, some developers out there are at least trying to be original:

D.O.T.S – 80MP

This sounds and looks a very simple game but try overcoming mazes and obstacles such as the evil ghost toast – tastiest sounding baddie ever – and you’ll find guiding the purple dot to the blue dot is actually quite tricky. With a truth hurts “Fails” display telling you exactly how many times you got thwarted by a slice of toast, this game looks appealingly addictive.

WordWise – 80MP

A nice twist on a word making/spelling game with the aim of ridding the board of all the letter tiles before the time runs out. It’s simple but effective as the layout of the letters makes hunting down the big scoring words tricky. At least your Avatar is on hand to lend emotional support when the only word you can think of is ‘cat’ in yet another addictive bargain.

Phat Fly – 80MP

Zoom around battling toads, bats and giant monkeys using an array of weapons including bazookas and bombs in order to prove that you are the baddest leader of the Dipteral order that the world has ever seen. Collect coins to exchange for hats (cowboy, sombrero and crowns maybe?) or extra cool items like gold earrings and artistic moustaches. Bursting with colour and attitude, this is a great “my first shoot ‘em up” title for younger gamers!

So in case you haven’t worked it out yet, the majority of games aren’t brilliant in terms of quality or good value for money this week as maybe XBL know there’s no other title that can compete with the addictive, haunting challenges on offer in Limbo. Save your pennies for the other scorching hot titles coming up as part of the Summer of Arcade!

PSN STORE UPDATE

Bazaboy — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:05:30 +0000

Another week brings with it another PSN Store update, again smaller than normal with only a small handful of games, demos and content, but there could still be something there that takes your fancy. As for me, it’s been yet another week of online Red Dead Redemption madness. What I find when playing this game online in Free Roam mode is the lack of competitive nature. Sure you are playing with and against other people, but you get the feeling that everyone is just playing to have some fun. Even when you are in a heated gun fight with other players, you feel that everyone is just having fun. Until the new games I am looking forward in the upcoming months, Red Dead Redemption is more than enough to keep me happy.

That’s quite enough of that though. Onto what you are all reading this for, what’s included in the PSN Store update this week.

SAM AND MAX THE DEVILS PLAYGROUND EPISODE 4 BEYOND THE ALLEY OF THE DOLLS FREE WITH SEASON PASS

And So for those with the season pass to The Devils Playground adventure, this week brings Episode 4 Beyond The Alley Of The Dolls. The freelance police continue on their multi episode adventure. As this chapter begins, our heroic duo find themselves under attack from a crowd of zombie like cloned Sams and Maxs. Our heroes do the best thing they can think of, barricade themselves inside a diner. What happens next is anyone’s guess. What we can be sure of however is the fact that the story continues as it has from the beginning, with much tongue in cheek humour that these characters and the world in which they live is full of. So, as of this week those of us with the full season pass can pick up this episode right now.

KANE AND LYNCH 2 DOG DAYS SINGLE AND MULTIPLAYER DEMO FREE DOWNLOAD

The demo for Kane And Lynch 2 offer players the chance to try out both the single player and multiplayer versions of the gritty and brutal crime based shooter, giving players a taste of the upcoming title. Kane and Lynch 2 is still a third person shooter with all the usual run, cover and shoot gameplay that you would expect from it. But to make it a little different, the developers have told us that the game will be viewed by the players as if through shaky handheld cameras and CCTV security cameras. It’s an original idea and will be interesting to see how well it plays, which you now can thanks to this demo.

LITTLE BIG PLANET MARVEL COSTUME PACK 02 £4.79/€5.99 INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COSTUMES WHICH CAN ALSO BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY

Following on from last weeks level kit and the first costume pack from Marvel, for Sackboy to dress up and play super hero, is the second pack which is as cool as the first. The pack gives you the chance to dress our cute little friend up as super heroes such as Spider man and Thor amongst others. Here is the full list and as usual when it comes to Little Big Planet you can buy these as a pack or pick and choose.

Elektra Costume £1.59/€1.99
Human Torch Costume £1.59/€1.99
Thor Costume £1.59/€1.99
Spider-Man Costume £1.59/€1.99
Ghost Rider Costume £1.59/€1.99

And I am more than sure that next week will bring a third pack so keep your eyes open for more super hero kit for Sackboy.

MODNATION RACERS SHERIFF SIRLOIN PACK £1.39/€1.75

Sheriff Sirloin is this weeks ModNation Racers DLC. The character himself, Sheriff Sirloin, is as the name suggests a sheriff and the Sirloin part is because he is a cow and he comes with stamp-able straw, chaps and a cowboy hat. Like most content for this game he also comes with a kart. The sheriffs vehicle comes in the shape of an old beat up truck, just the kind of thing you would imagine a cowboy to be driving. This vehicle can be broken down into three parts that can be used to build your own vehicles and these include the old battered truck body, rope steering wheel and the saddle seat.

ZEN PINBALL MARS TABLE £1.59/€1.99

Zen pinball is still one of, if not the best pinball game available on the Playstation and the fact that they are continually releasing new tables ensures we pinball fans continually have a new challenge. The latest of these is based around the planet Mars and the exploration of it. I have yet to play the table so I cannot really comment on it, but if it is as much fun as those that came before it then it could well be worth checking out.

ROCK BAND THE STOOGES PACK 01 £.349/€5.29 PACK CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING TRACKS WHICH AS USUAL CAN BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY

1969 £0.99/€1.49
I Wanna Be Your Dog £0.99/€1.49
New Dark Ages £0.99/€1.49
No Control £0.99/€1.49
No Fun £0.99/€1.49

GUITAR HERO 5 DISTURBED TRACK PACK £4.39/€5.49 CONTAINING THE FOLLOWING TRACKS THAT CAN ALSO BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY

Down With Sickness £1.59/€1.99
Indestructible £1.59/€1.99
Stricken £1.59/€1.99

The video section this week is as empty as it was last week, with the only thing available for your viewing pleasure being the latest FirstPlay episode 016 and it’s available to purchase for the price of £0.99/€1.20

Rounding things off this week as usual are a couple of wallpapers and a bunch of avatars based around Crash Commando and Pain. For your perusing pleasures I shall list them right here.

FAT PRINCESS FAT ROLES WALLPAPER 1 FREE DOWNLOAD
FAT PRINCESS FAT ROLES WALLPAPER 2 FREE DOWNLOAD

CRASH COMMANDO AVATARS

Crash Commando Jarhead Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Crash Commando Maid Mayhem Chaos Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Crash Commando Nuke’m Ninja Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Crash Commando Reggae Rasta Avatar £0.20/€0.25

PAIN AVATARS

Brock Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Cookie Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Ed Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Ginger Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Hung Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Jarvis Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Kenny Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Le Toot Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Scurv Avatar £0.20/€0.25
Tati Avatar £0.20/€0.25

And with that we bring to a close another weeks worth of store updates. So far it’s been a couple of quiet weeks, but I believe it’s only a matter of time before we are hit with another huge one. For now, the small updates mean we have more time for gaming and I am feeling like a little more Red Dead. However, Uncharted 2 has been tempting me for the last couple of days, so the chances are that I will be slipping that disc into my console once again for some fun and frolics with Drake and Chloe. Until next week, I once again wish you all a good week and happy gaming.

Face Training: Facial exercises to strengthen and relax from Fumiko Inudo

TurtleGirl — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:39:16 +0000

Looking a little stressed out lately? Strengthen and relax six different areas of your face through simple, daily exercises with Face Training: Facial exercises to strengthen and relax from Fumiko Inudo, released across Europe exclusively for Nintendo DSi & Nintendo DSi XL on 24th September 2010.

In the same way that you helped train your brain with Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training series of games for Nintendo DS, Face Training contains a series of simple exercises to target specific areas of your face. The exercises have all been created in cooperation with Japanese Beautician & Specialist in the Muscles of Facial Expression, Fumiko Inudo.

Target the Ocular Muscle with an eye exercise that can help to ease tension around the eyes. Or try focusing on some different types of facial and neck muscles such as your Zygomaticus Major –cheek area, Orbicularis Oris – mouth area or Trapezius – neck muscle to name a few, which could all help you in your task to facial wellness.

Getting started is quicker and easier than doing your make-up in the morning! Put your Nintendo DSi or Nintendo DSi XL on the included stand and the inner camera will show a mirror-like image of you as you perform the exercises. Your host during the game is Miles, who can be styled individually to your taste. As your virtual trainer, Miles will show the exercises on the left screen accompanied by a vocal explanation. You simply choose from a series of facial exercises and training sessions that focus on six different facial areas – eyes, cheeks, nose, mouth, jaw and neck – to find the ideal training for you.

The camera in your Nintendo DSi detects your movements during the exercises. You can even take a photo and Miles will provide advice on that exercise. You can check your progress daily using the available calendar function. In total, there are more than 15 different guided exercises which could all help to retain a face rich with vitality and facial expression.

Bonus features include unique mirror angles to experiment with, so you can check your face from different viewpoints and perspectives, which you would be unable to with a normal mirror.

Revitalise your face with Face Training: Facial exercises to strengthen and relax from Fumiko Inudo, launching across Europe for Nintendo DSi & Nintendo DSi XL only, on 24th September 2010.

Street Fighter X Tekken

TurtleGirl — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:47:14 +0000

Capcom, today announced that Street Fighter X Tekken is in development for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The title will make history as fighters from these two bastions of the fighting genre come together for the very first time.

Utilising the same technology that powered Street Fighter IV & Super Street Fighter IV, Tekken characters such as Kazuya Mishima and Nina Williams will make the transition into the Street Fighter universe having been re-imagined using the much loved art style of these seminal titles; while retaining their unique characteristics and signature moves as they go head to head with classic brawlers from the Street Fighter franchise in what promises to be the ultimate match up.

As in Street Fighter IV, gameplay will feature fully realised 3D character models battling for domination in both new and familiar highly detailed 2D environments that are brought to life with engaging animations. In addition to modes such as Versus and Training that will feature new enhancements to make the fighting experience more in-depth and enjoyable, Street Fighter X Tekken will include Tag Team combat where players select two fighters to deliver knockout assist attacks and special combos.

The announcement, which took place at Comic-Con in San Diego in front of thousands of Street Fighter fans, was made by the Producer of Street Fighter X Tekken, Yoshinori Ono, and Tekken series Director, Katsuhiro Harada. Commenting on the origins of this project Yoshinori Ono said: “This is history we’re making. Two fighting games that have rivalled each other are finally standing on the same stage.

This isn’t just a showdown between Tekken and Street Fighter, but a decisive battle for Capcom and Namco Bandai Games. So I’m going to give it my all.”

Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters

TurtleGirl — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:52:16 +0000

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today announced Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters an action-adventure title that will be available in conjunction with Warner Bros. Pictures’ epic superhero feature film Green Lantern scheduled for release Summer 2011. The game will be available for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, Wii and Nintendo DS and delivers an immersive experience for Green Lantern fans that the entire family will enjoy.

Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is inspired by the feature film, which brings the enduringly popular DC Comics Super Hero to the big screen for the first time and which stars Ryan Reynolds in the title role as Hal Jordan, the newest member of the Green Lantern Corps. In the videogame players will utilize over a dozen constructs and take flight across the deepest parts of the Universe to restore intergalactic order by wielding the ultimate weapon: the Green Lantern power ring.

“Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters gives players the chance to experience the world of the Green Lantern mythology in an interactive way, going beyond the events of the film and comic books,” said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Production and Development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “The game is the first to centre around DC Comics’ Green Lantern franchise and we’re excited to give fans the opportunity to experience the power of the ring with engaging gameplay.”

Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is in development for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii by Double Helix Games and for Nintendo DS by Griptonite Games.

GamersGate Specials

GG Goblin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:38:02 +0000

Well, it seems that with summer in full swing, summer sales are popping up everywhere. Our favorite digital distribution portal, GamersGate, is no exception. Alongside the usual weekly offers, there are a couple of interesting summer sales kicking off as well.

To begin with we have the massive Paradox sale, offering 50% off almost all of their games until July 27th. Be it the grand strategy of Hearts of Iron III, the fantasy kingdom simulation of Majesty 2, or some action RPG fun with Mount & Blade: Warband, there is something for everyone.

Next up is the Summer Fun with Ubisoft which is offering discounts on games such as Assassin’s Creed 2 and Dawn of Discovery at various discounts until July 31st.

It is also platformer week on GamersGate with the following games on offer until July 25th -

Clover: A Curious Tale – 50%
Emberwind – 60%
Emberwind Mac – 60%
The Lunar Pack – 60%
Max and the Magic Marker – 75%
Saira – 50%
Tomb Raider Anniversary – 50%
Tomb Raider: Underworld – 50%
Trine – 66%

Games of the week are Heroes of Might and Magic V, both Gold and Silver edition, with a massive 50% discount until July 25th.

This weeks loyalty offer, available until July 25th, offers a discount depending on the status of membership -

Neverwinter Nights 2 Gold – 50% to 80% discount.

Difficult to make a recommendation from so many great games. But, simply because I am in the mood to indulge my god complex, I think I will choose -

Majesty 2: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim – £12.48

Take control of a fantasy kingdom in which you have to convince your heroes to do your bidding. No more ordering them to go and dispatch monsters, in Majesty 2 you will need to make it worth their while.

Pre-order specials include -

Medieval Battlefields – 15% discount
Amnesia: The Dark Descent (PC& Mac) – 10% discount
Commander: Conquest of the Americas – Bonus in-game content

Commander: Conquest of the Americas is a trading and strategy game due on July 30th. Choose from seven different European factions and conquer the New World. Costing £34.95, pre-order to receive some great in-game goodies.

Halo: Reach Edition Xbox 360

TurtleGirl — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:54:26 +0000

Microsoft has just unwrapped their new limited edition Xbox 360 slim Halo Reach console at Comic-Con. How awesome does that look? The Limited Edition console has a lovely black finish and now has a matte silver cover with graphics designed by Bungie.

The console remain the same as the standard 250GB models and is equipped with the same Wi-Fi. The limited edition Xbox 360 slim Halo Reach console also comes with matching wireless game pads and a regular copy of the shooter game. Halo : Reach Limited Edition is available on September 14th for $399

Via Electronista

Fable III

GG Goblin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:49:29 +0000

New screens from this years Comic Con Expo.

TM Wii

GG Goblin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:41:37 +0000

With the release of Trackmania Wii coming ever closer, here are some new screens for you to look at –

Tactics Ogre

GG Goblin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:09:50 +0000

Let Us Cling Together.

Tactics Ogre was never officially released in Europe, but that didn’t stop Strategy RPG fans from importing it. But now the game is coming to the PSP and is being completely reborn from the ground up, with reworked visuals and effects, a re-arranged soundtrack by the original composers, new character growth mechanics and a new Wheel of Fortune system that adds even more replay value to the game.

Larry Sparks, Vice President Brands PAL Region of Square Enix Limited comments, “It gives us great delight to revisit this legendary title, I hope that TACTICS OGRE: Let Us Cling Together pleases the original fans with a host of improvements and attracts a new audience eager to find out why TACTICS OGRE remains such a beloved title.”