Celebrate the 4th of July with free Columns

Written on July 2, 2009 at 6:45 pm, by James Fudge

To celebrate July 4, SEGA is offering the its popular puzzler Columns for free to all iPhone and iPod Touch owners. For the whole July 4th weekend, gamers can grab this freebie and enjoy some puzzling fun in ancient Phoenicia as they strategically align falling gems across, down or diagonally - racing against the clock or taking on the computer for hours of challenges. Easy to pick up, difficult to master, Columns features Timed, Challenge and Endless modes, as well as three levels of difficulty.

For more information on any of SEGA’s iPhone/iPod Touch games check out the App Store at www.itunes.com/appstore.

Namco Bandai Games locks down Dragon Ball rights

Written on July 2, 2009 at 4:00 pm, by James Fudge

Namco Bandai Games America has secured exclusive North American rights to publish future “official” video games for the longstanding classic anime and manga series, Dragon Ball across all major consoles and hand held platforms. The agreement will run for five years beginning in January 2010 and supersedes the existing rights granted to publish titles on the Nintendo DS, Wii, PS3, PSP, and Xbox 360.

“We are very excited to have signed this long term agreement with Toei Animation Co., Ltd and FUNimation Entertainment, which grants NAMCO BANDAI Games North American multi-platform rights to the testosterone driven action packed world of Dragon Ball, said Makoto Iwai, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Namco Bandai Games America. “This move reunites Namco Bandai Games with the Dragon Ball series in North America which will considerably increase our ability to develop titles that perfectly capture every nuance of what makes the Dragon Ball world exciting to the consumer.”

Namco Bandai Games America has secured the right to publish three titles in 2009: Dragon Ball: Raging Blast for the Xbox 360 and PS3, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo for Wii, and Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans for Nintendo DS.

Battlefield 1943 to be released next week

Written on July 2, 2009 at 3:53 pm, by James Fudge

DICE and Electronic Arts will release Battlefield 1943 July 8th on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and July 9th on the PlayStation Network. Battlefield 1943 is an all-new download-only action game that brings DICE’s popular World War II-themed vehicular and class-based first-person shooter to gamers for $15, or 1200 MS Points.

Battlefield 1943 introduces two new modes that can be played across four classic Battlefield tropical WWII maps: Wake Island, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Coral Sea. These maps are inspired by Battlefield 1942, but have been redesigned and reengineered using the DICE destructible Frostbite engine which takes down walls, blockades and cover spots, leaving players with almost nowhere to hide.

The Coral Sea map which is included in the game will be unlocked as part of a worldwide community challenge, where players will work together to reach 43M kills on both Xbox LIVE and the PlayStation Network. To help gamers reach that goal, up to 24 players can play together online in at once. They will have the freedom to compete by land, air and sea as either the US Marines or the Imperial Japanese Navy.

For more information on Battlefield 1943 visit www.battlefield.com/1943.. The game will be available on the PC in September.

Heroes Over Europe announced

Written on July 2, 2009 at 3:49 pm, by James Fudge

Ubisoft will publish Heroes Over Europe, a flight combat game designed for the Xbox 360, PS3 and Windows. Developed by Transmission Games in Melbourne, Australia, and powered by an all-new engine, the sequel to Heroes of the Pacific features a new Ace Kill close combat action mode, four online modes supporting up to 16 players and fully customizable aircrafts with localized damage.

The game engine has also gotten a graphics overhaul apparently, delivering rendered environments including recreations of London, Berlin and the French Alps, and warplanes of the era, all in high definition graphics - according to Ubisoft.

Heroes Over Europe is scheduled for worldwide release in September 2009. For more information about Heroes Over Europe, check out www.heroesovereurope.com.

Rock Band Green Day tracks next week

Written on July 2, 2009 at 3:46 pm, by James Fudge

Harmonix will release three exclusive tracks from Green Day and eight songs from various artists performing at the RockStar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, next week for the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii system on the Rock Band Music Store. The Green Day tracks available next week are “21 Guns,” “Know Your Enemy” and “East Jesus Nowhere” - all from the band’s latest album, 21st Century Breakdown.

Eight songs from artists performing at the RockStar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival will also be available for download next week. The RockStar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival is a new summer touring metal and rock festival in the United States during July and August, assembled by Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman.

Next Week’s Tracks:

Green Day - 21 Guns
Green Day - East Jesus Nowhere
Green Day - Know Your Enemy”
Behemoth - Conquer All
Black Dahlia Murder - What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse
Cannibal Corpse - Hammer Smashed Face
God Forbid - Empire of the Gun
Job for a Cowboy - Embedded
Marilyn Manson - Disposable Teens
Slayer - Black Magic
Whitechapel - This Is Exile

These tracks will be available for purchase as part of the Green Day Pack or Mayhem Pack or as individual tracks for Xbox 360 and PS3. They will be released on Wii and Xbox LIVE Marketplace July 7 and on PSN July 9.

Risen dated, hit beta milestone

Written on July 2, 2009 at 3:43 pm, by James Fudge

Deep Silver announced that Risen will make its international debut on October 2, 2009. The new RPG from Piranha Bytes, the developers of the popular Gothic series of action games, recently entered into beta. Risen will be available for the Xbox 360 and Windows. Deep Silver says that the game is already “code complete,” with all voiceovers recorded and most of the code ready for vigorous testing and polish. A total of three quality assurance teams are working on the game - one directly at Piranha Bytes, one at Deep Silver, plus an additional external studio. Players can only hope that this new game offers a better localization for English speaking countries in Europe and North America.

Risen is an action role-playing game set in a medieval world on a volcanic Mediterranean island. Much like Gothic, The Risen offer multiples ways to develop the story by actions and decisions. That story unfolds over four chapters. The game also promises a user control interface that supports both casual and hardcore gamers as well as full world streaming support for a seamless experience in the game world.

you can learn more about the game by visiting risen.deepsilver.com.

Aspyr to publish Mindware’s DreamKiller

Written on July 2, 2009 at 3:39 pm, by James Fudge

Aspyr Media and Mindware Studios have teamed up to bring Dreamkiller to the Xbox 360 and Windows PC. Mindware Studios’ previous works include Cold War for PC, Mac, Linux and Xbox and Painkiller Overdose for the PC. Dreamkiller is described as a fast-paced, frantic first-person shooter, that will take players inside the dark and twisted nightmares of tortured souls possessed by unknown forces.

Players will take on the role of Alice Drake, a psychologist with the ability to enter the minds of her patients and combat  creatures haunting their dreams. Utilizing a host of weapons and her own special abilities, Alice confronts demons in the twisted psyches of her troubled patients.

Dreamkiller features 12 single-player missions populated by enemies reflecting the mind’s infinite palette of fear. The game will also offer numerous multiplayer modes and a host of strange weapons and supernatural abilities. Dreamkiller will be available this fall.