February 2008
| Friday, February 29, 2008 |
X-Blades Announced
 Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 11:19 AM |
Category: Action |
SouthPeak Games has announced X-Blades, a hack n slash, 3rd person game with an anime style. Here is the teaser site.Grapevine, Texas – February 29, 2008 - SouthPeak Games today announced that it will release X-Blades, a third-person hack-and-slash action title for next-gen consoles and PC, in late 2008. In the game, players control an enchanting anime-style heroine that destroys anything in her path using guns, blades, magic, and a healthy dose of cinematic flair.
X-Blades features a special combination of cinematic style, beautiful animation, and relentless, high speed gameplay. Players assume the role of Ayumi, a stunningly seductive yet tenacious heroine who battles enemies with her pistol blades, acrobatic ability, and magic spells. With full anime cut scenes, the story unfolds revealing demonic powers and spectacular landscapes, all ripe for exploration and battles.
“We are big fans of anime and that was really our inspiration for X-Blades,” said James Seaman, Managing Director at TopWare Interactive. “Our goal was to create stylistic characters and artwork, and mix that with lightning fast action. The result is a killer title that gamers and animation fans won’t be able to put down.” You can read more on Voodoo Extreme article or over on on Blues News.
| Thursday, February 28, 2008 |
Iron Lore Developer Closing Gates For Good
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 10:07 AM |
Category: Developer |
The other day I was thinking about Titan Quest and getting back into the expansion pack Immortal Throne because I stopped playing awhile ago now and want to finish the game. Then I hit Shack News this morning and read the bad news that the Titan Quest developer, Iron Lore is shutting down. Wow, that was unexpected!It is with great regret that we must announce that as of close of business Tuesday, February 19, 2008 Iron Lore Entertainment has ceased active game development. Several unrelated events occurred which resulted in Iron Lore being unable to secure funding for its next project.
We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who has helped us in the last seven years – our team who moved mountains to create such great games, our publisher THQ who has been a great partner through three product development cycles, and most of all our customers and fans. We owe all of the success we’ve had to you, and our greatest satisfaction has come from creating games that have given enjoyment to the community. You can read more on the Iron Lore site. This sucks. :(
| Wednesday, February 27, 2008 |
Guild Wars Passes Five Million Units Sold
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 8:03 AM |
Category: Massively Multiplayer |
NCsoft and ArenaNet have announced in this press release that the Guild Wars franchise has sold over five million units in North America, Europe, and Asia."Guild Wars is a proven success and has set a new standard for online RPG games with its unique business model and superior playability," said NCsoft CEO Taek Jin Kim. "ArenaNet is dedicated to creating games that expand the market and provide great new content to our loyal player base. This success has built a great foundation from which the next generation of Guild Wars games will grow."
With the development of Guild Wars 2 underway, ArenaNet will continue to provide dedicated support to current Guild Wars games and its millions of customers.
"Reaching the five million mark is extremely gratifying for us at ArenaNet because it shows the hard work and dedication we put into our games has resonated with the fans," said Mike O'Brien, co-founder of ArenaNet. "We are committed to supporting all of our Guild Wars players, and at the same time, we're extremely excited to work on the game's evolution. Certainly the future of Guild Wars is as bright as its past and present." Hit the Guild Wars site for more info on the game.
| Tuesday, February 26, 2008 |
Firefox 3 Improved Search Features
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 11:28 AM |
Category: General |
BBC News has an article posted up about Firefox 3, which is currently in the third stage of beta testing and will feature improved search functions.Chairman of the Mozilla Foundation Mitchell Baker told BBC World Service's Digital Planet programme: "It's clear that when people are looking for information on the web, search is the number one activity," she said. "We've devised ways to bring that power into areas that are closer to your individual life." Hit that article for more info on Firefox 3.
| Monday, February 25, 2008 |
Second Annual Scholarship for Gaming Girls
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 12:54 PM |
Category: General |
Women Gamers and National Computer Camp have announced the Second Annual Scholarship for Gaming Girls.RTP, NC - February 21, 2008 - For the June/July 2008 enrollment, WomenGamers.Com and National Computer Camp (NCC) are once again offering scholarships valued at $985 to two female students ages 8-18 for one week.
At NCC (http://www.NCCamp.com), campers can design a 2D or 3D video game, learn to program, create a graphic video, take apart a computer, create a home page, play tennis, play Civilization and make new friends. Now in its 31st year, NCC is America's original computer camp with locations in Connecticut, Georgia, New York, and Ohio. Read more about that on Women Gamers.
| Sunday, February 24, 2008 |
Dawn Of Magic Review
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 4:03 PM |
Category: Role Playing |
Over on Worthplaying they posted a Dawn of Magic review and here is a snip:Once you begin Dawn of Magic, you start to realize how completely unoriginal the game really is. Everything from the quests (go outside of town and collect 10 termite eggs) to the story (evil sorcerer is on a quest for power) is cribbed from the likes of Diablo and Baldur's Gate. Unfortunately, DoM leaves so much to be desired in its execution that you should really just play one of those other games. It would be a better way to spend your time. Have a look at the rest of that Dawn of Magic review.
| Saturday, February 23, 2008 |
The Witcher Enhanced Interview
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 10:45 AM |
Category: Role Playing |
It's time to take an Actiontrip because they talk with Michal Madej, Chief Designer on The Witcher in this Interview concerning the upcoming Enhanced version of the game.We always believed that The Witcher is an outstanding game, but still we are surprised how well it does all around the world. I am very glad that editors and gamers understand our vision of a modern role playing game. On the other hand, we feel a great responsibility, so now following titles will have much higher expectations and we can't disappoint you all. Hopefully, it will inspire us even more, but not paralyze our creativity. Read the rest of that particular Interview.
| Friday, February 22, 2008 |
Portal 2 Confirmed
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 10:23 AM |
Category: General |
According to G4 and what they have to say, Portal 2 has been confirmed by Valve.On tonight's episode of X-Play, lead designer for Portal, Kimberly Swift, confirmed that there will be a Portal 2. This is pretty much a given as Doug Lombardi, Valve's Director of Marketing, had previously stated that "more Portal is definitely on the way." That's all on G4.
| Thursday, February 21, 2008 |
Inside The Vault With Tim Lamb
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 12:33 PM |
Category: Developer |
Now would be a good time to hit the Bethesda Blog and read what Tim Lamb has to say inside the vault.I am the Associate Producer for programming. I work with the coders to lay-out and keep the schedule up-to-date. I assign the majority of bugs and tasks that go to coders, modify the priorities, get them dated and scheduled, monitor the status, shift them when needed, rinse and repeat. That's all on the Bethesda Blog.
| Wednesday, February 20, 2008 |
PC Gaming Alliance Formed
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 3:23 PM |
Category: General |
The word on InfoWorld is that some of the top technology companies have joined forces to form gaming alliance.Some of the top technology companies, including Intel, Microsoft, Dell, and Advanced Micro Devices joined forces Tuesday to form the PC Gaming Alliance, which will try to promote the PC as a gaming platform. That is all on InfoWorld.
| Tuesday, February 19, 2008 |
What Happened To The Joystick?
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 2:33 PM |
Category: General |
Over on MSN there's an interesting article that talks about what happened to the joystick.Sometimes technology disappears completely, but often it just fades into the background – still existing, still being used and sold and, occasionally, desired, but probably looking wistfully back on past glories. Go read the full article.
| Monday, February 18, 2008 |
The Witcher Enhanced Edition
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 3:48 PM |
Category: Role Playing |
I was on Worthplaying and they let it be known that CD Projekt has announced that they will release an enhanced version of The Witcher. The enhanced version will include shorter load times, better graphics, mod editor, game world map, additional quests and a bunch of other stuff.Michal Kicinski, CEO of CD Projekt described the idea behind The Witcher Enhanced Edition: "The leading idea during the development of The Witcher Enhanced Edition is to create a game that is devoid of all of the major criticisms levied at the original release. The Witcher was received very warmly by both players and the media, but we are well aware that it is not a product without its faults. There was just not enough time to perfect certain elements, while we learned that some things needed to be changed from the players themselves. Now we have the opportunity to introduce changes that will allow The Witcher to provide even more enjoyment. I hope that, as a result, the game will come even closer to the ideal RPG." The Enhanced Witcher is expected to be available in May. Also note that the actual game content will be available to those who already bought the game via a patch. You can read more right here.
| Sunday, February 17, 2008 |
Tom's Top 10 Games In 2008 List
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 1:01 PM |
Category: General |
According to Tom's Games these are the Top 10 Games to Watch for 2008.Now that 2007 is well behind, it's time to look at the top games scheduled for release in 2008. In putting a list together of the 10 most anticipated games for this year, we looked at each title's pedigree, including the developer talent and track record as well as previous titles if the game is a sequel. Go look at the Top 10 Games to Watch for 2008.
| Saturday, February 16, 2008 |
Fallout 3 Preview
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 12:45 PM |
Category: Role Playing |
Gameplayer put up a Fallout 3 Preview where Pete Hines describes what the game is all about.In Fallout 3, mankind is once again reduced to scavenging off the leftovers of its betters – except that this time around, the betters are the dead of the past as the world has been obliterated by nuclear war. Mutants roam the planet’s surface and the few remaining normal people scratch a living from the sterile soil… Go read that Fallout 3 Preview that is five pages of info.
| Friday, February 15, 2008 |
Stalker Clear Sky Screens
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 3:57 PM |
Category: First Person |
Lets all take a trip to Worthplaying to visit the new S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky Screenshots.A group of stalkers has for the first time reached the very heart of the Zone – Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and brings about a cataclysm on the brink of a catastrophe. An immense blowout of anomalous energy changes the Zone. There are no more reliable and relatively safe roads. Have a look at those S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky Screenshots.
| Thursday, February 14, 2008 |
Call Of Duty 4 Review
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 3:28 PM |
Category: First Person |
Over on the Adrenaline Vault they put up a Call Of Duty 4 Review.In its single player game, COD4 is set in a fictional modern setting. I say fictional because half of the missions take place in a fictional Middle Eastern country that the United States invades, while the other half involve British SAS operatives conducting covert ops in Russia, something Vladimir Putin would probably have a big problem with in the real world. As for the modern aspect, all of the weapons, gear and associated fighting techniques are applicable to the contemporary world. Yup, that's all on the Adrenaline Vault.
| Wednesday, February 13, 2008 |
Roy Scheider Dies At 75
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 6:06 PM |
Category: Entertainment |
It's sad to announce the fact that Roy Scheider, the actor who played the police chief in Jaws has passed away at the age of 75.Scheider received two Oscar nominations, for best-supporting actor in 1971's "The French Connection" in which he played the police partner of Oscar winner Gene Hackman, and for best-actor for 1979's "All That Jazz," the autobiographical Bob Fosse film. Read more right here over on CNN.
| Tuesday, February 12, 2008 |
Tiny Pterodactyl Discovered
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 1:18 PM |
Category: Science |
This morning I was reading the newspaper and saw this neat article about a small Pterodactyl fossil that was discovered in China. So I looked on National Geographic to see if it was on there and of course it was!The sparrow-size Nemicolopterus crypticus, whose discovery was announced this week by Chinese and Brazilian scientists, is one of the smallest pterosaurs known. You can read more right here so have a look at that.
Mass Effect Coming To PC In May 2008
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 1:04 PM |
Category: Role Playing |
Games Industry Biz posted up this press release info that reveals Mass Effect will be available on the PC in May 2008.Chertsey, UK - February 12, 2008 - Leading video game developer BioWare, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) company, has announced that the award-winning space epic Mass Effect™ will be released for the PC in May 2008. Published by EA and re-designed for the PC, Mass Effect invites players to take the role of Commander Shepard as they set out on an adventure to save the galaxy from imminent destruction. Wrought with treachery, heroism, difficult decisions and a universe filled with unique and colorful species, Mass Effect delivers a truly compelling storyline. Go ahead and read the rest of that press release. Also hit Bioware's Mass Effect site for more info on the sci-fi RPG.
| Monday, February 11, 2008 |
WoW A Tabletop Card Game
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 9:37 PM |
Category: General |
According to EuroGamer the card company Upper Deck is going to make a tabletop version of World of Warcraft.It will be the first time Upper Deck - which makes the trading card game - has entered the market, which has been dominated by Games Workshop for so long. You can read more about that right here.
| Sunday, February 10, 2008 |
Tomb Raider: Underworld Screenshots
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 2:10 PM |
Category: Action |
PC Games.de posted up some Tomb Raider: Underworld screenshots so go check them out.
| Saturday, February 9, 2008 |
Fallout 3 Interview
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 2:30 PM |
Category: Role Playing |
Over on GameDev they put up a interview with Nate Purkeypile, World Artist at Bethesda who talks about working on Fallout 3. Here is a snip:Working with the Fallout IP is actually something that fits very well with my own personal style as an artist. For a long time I have had a fascination with ruined and abandoned structures. So being able to create an entire world filled with things like that is the best thing I could ask for. Check out the rest of that interview.
Tabula Rasa And Call Of Duty 4 Reviews
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 7:46 AM |
Category: Action |
Phoebus sent me a couple links to game reviews that are done in a video style (part of the Zero Punctuation feature on the site).... The first of which is Call Of Duty 4 and the other is for Tabula Rasa. Both of these reviews are on The Escapist Magazine. The reviewer talks pretty fast and I found it was easier to follow the Tabula review.... so if you're sleepy or tired, get some coffee first. :p
| Thursday, February 7, 2008 |
Devil May Cry 4 Review
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 4:32 PM |
Category: Action |
Over on bit-tech.net they posted up a review for Devil May Cry 4 and here is a snip:Nero, for better or worse, still controls almost identically to Dante with just a few exceptions. For the most part the game is still a matter of unlocking more and more combos, moving forwards room by room and slaughtering everything in your path with a sword that’s larger than the person wielding it. Have a look at that Devil May Cry 4 review.
| Wednesday, February 6, 2008 |
Duke Nukem Forever In 2008
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 12:44 PM |
Category: First Person |
The Dallas Business Journal posted up an article that Duke Nukem Forever is confirmed for a 2008 release."We haven't formally announced any platforms for DNF," wrote 3D Realms President Scott Miller in an e-mail exchange. "But, of course hitting the big three makes the most sense (PC, PS3, 360)." Read more of that Duke Nukem Forever article.
| Tuesday, February 5, 2008 |
Golden Axe: Beast Rider Screenshots
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 2:37 PM |
Category: Action |
I don't normally pay much attention to XBox and or console games but I was on Voodoo Extreme and noticed they have some new Golden Axe: Beast Rider Screenshots and I think they look pretty cool. I actually didn't realize the game was being made and if it turns out to be a winner I may just be tempted to get an XBox.... scary huh.
American McGee Is Something Wicked
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 12:45 PM |
Category: Developer |
American McGee updated his Blog with the info that they're at the half-way point in episodes for Grimm and have 12 to go. Also American revealed a 2nd project is in the works and he doesn't exactly tell what the title is called but refers to it as being something wicked and another twisted tale.So it is with a mixture of pride and awe that I get to “announce” our 2nd project. At the moment this is purely for recruiting purposes - an official announcement will come when the time is right. What I can say about the project is this: “UE3 based, big publisher, multi-platform, twisted tale project” - pre-production is starting soon. Hit that Blog for more info n stuff.
Small Rock Big Boom
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 7:55 PM |
Category: Science |
I don't know about you lot but I'm bored of games. I haven't played anything since mid December when I tried the demo for The Witcher. All the gaming news is boring too... at least to me it is, unfortunately. So that's probably why I'm looking on CNN where this article is explaining that the meteor that exploded over Siberia in 1908 was smaller than previously thought, which isn't exactly good news because now we have to worry about smaller rocks doing big damage.Smaller asteroids approach Earth about three times more frequently than large ones. So if large asteroids approach about every 1,000 years, a smaller one would be about every 300 years, Boslough said. Maybe tomorrow there will be some good news. One can only hope.
| Saturday, February 2, 2008 |
Age Of Conan Screens And Trailer
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 8:41 AM |
Category: Massively Multiplayer |
Good morning everybody. I haven't been paying much attention to the Age Of Conan game although I'm a big Conan and Robert E. Howard fan, MMO's really don't interest me much. However, I did notice that Worthplaying posted up some new screenshots and have a trailer ready for download for Age of Conan.In 'Conan' the players will encounter a dark, lush, violent and sinful universe, presented in fantastic graphics and stunning 7.1 surround audio. In a world filled with cruel gods, mythical creatures, lost civilizations and a struggling human race, the mighty barbarian has finally seized the throne as king of Aquilonia. Check out that stuff right here.
Tomb Raider Underworld Screens
Posted
by
Darren 'Doom Dude' Finch
at 2:17 PM |
Category: Action |
If you put a hit on Worthplaying you can view nine new screenshots for Tomb Raider Underworld.
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