Pet Sematary game hits iPhone, iPod Touch

Gah! I don’t want to be buried in a pet cemetary! Paramount Digital Entertainment has released Pet Sematary for the iPhone and iPod touch, a top-down, tap-to-kill arcade game inspired by the classic horror film based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. In Pet Sematary, a grief-stricken father buries his son in an ancient animal burial ground, where it is said everything laid to rest there will come back to life. But the burial ground is for animals only and humans buried there that come back tend to be insane and violent. Players in Pet Sematary take on the role of a lone hero, perched on the rooftops to stay safe and shoot down undead animals by tapping them one to four times as they race across the screen to feast on innocent townspeople.

Taking advantage of the touch screen, players will eliminate zombie children, dogs, cats and birds by tapping them one to four times as they dart down the streets. Players will also need to pay close attention to friend or foe, as health is diminished if innocents are accidentally killed or when an undead creature escapes or eats a townsperson.

Pet Sematary also includes built-in social networking features that allow players to post their high scores directly to their Facebook pages. Pet Sematary for iPhone and iPod touch is now available at the Apple App Store for $0.99. To purchase the game, visit itunes.

Halo 3: ODST soundtrack Sept. 22

Sumthing Else Music Works announced that the official soundtrack to Halo 3: ODST, featuring an original musical score from Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, will be released later this month. The 2-disc set will be released on September 22nd to retail outlets through Sumthing Else Music Works, and will be available for digital download on Sumthing Digital and iTunes.

Developed for Xbox 360 by series creators Bungie, Halo 3: ODST is a new game in the Halo saga that lets players experience events leading up to the story told in Halo 3 through the eyes of an ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), as they search for clues leading to the whereabouts of their scattered squad and the motivations behind the Covenant’s invasion of New Mombasa. The release promises to add a new dimension to a universe that gamers around the world have known and loved for close to eight years.

Namco Sounds brings video game music to iTunes

Namco Bandai Games today announced the launch of Namco Sounds, an exclusive iTunes music label offering re-mastered soundtracks from the company’s catalogue of games. In partnership with Bandai Visual CO., LTD, this marks the company’s first foray into the North American music distribution market with plans to create and offer new content for global distribution. To kick off this new business, Namco Sounds has released tracks from Pac-Man, Xevious, and Soulcalibur. Subsequent releases from games past and present will be available on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month.

These freshly released tracks and future releases will retail for $.99 with the entire album available for right around $3.00.

Bionic Commando PC game, soundtrack released

Nathan Spencer is getting a 3D make-over and soundtrack with the release of Bionic Commando for Windows PCs. Bionic Commando is rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB and is available now on store shelves in North America for $39.99 for Windows PCs and through various online distribution platforms, including the Capcom e-Store and Steam. Bionic Commando Rearmed is also available via Steam. Bionic Commando Rearmed can be purchased in a bundle through Steam with Bionic Commando for $44.99.

Also available today is the Bionic Commando soundtrack composed by Jamie Christopherson, Simun Viklund, Trond-Viggo Melsen and Erik Thunberg. The soundtrack is being published via Nile Rogers’ Sumthing Else Music Works and is available today at retail through Sumthing Else Music Works, as digital download on Sumthing Digital and iTunes.

Resident Evil 5 soundtrack released

Sumthing Else Music Works has released the Resident Evil 5 Original Soundtrack to retail and online through its various digital distribution platforms. The soundtrack features the original music score from the fear-inducing and sometimes controversial video game set in Africa. The Resident Evil 5 Original Soundtrack 3-CD set features the music of Lead Composer Kota Suzuki, who had to come up with a score that combined the African setting with the series’ trademark horror survival gameplay.

The Resident Evil 5 Original Soundtrack is available through retail via Sumthing Else Music Works and distributed by Sumthing Distribution. It is also available online on Sumthing Digital and iTunes.

Street Fighter IV soundtrack coming May 26

Sumthing Else Music Works will release the Street Fighter IV Original Soundtrack featuring the original music score from Capcom’s popular fighting series, on May 26. The Street Fighter IV Original Soundtrack 2-CD set will be available through Sumthing Else Music Works, at retail through Sumthing Distribution and as a digital release on Sumthing Digital and iTunes.

Sumthing Else Music Works says that Capcom and Hideyuki Fukasawa’s Street Fighter IV Original Soundtrack offers all the beats that highlight the game’s dramatic fights, reflects the Street Fighter characters’ international flavor, and offers new directions for classic Street Fighter melodies. For both long-time Street Fighter fans and newcomers, Street Fighter IV OST is an energetic, ambitious fighting game soundtrack capturing the intense experience of the series.

VIZ Brings Blue Dragon Anime to iTunes

When Blue Dragon first hit the 360 in Japan back in 2006, the game was a surprising hit, helping the 360 to begin carving out a niche for itself in the tough Japanese market. The game’s success led to a merchandising bonanza, one part of which included a manga series in Shonen Jump and an anime series, both based on the Microsoft RPG game. Now, thanks to VIZ Media, the anime series has seen its debut here in the states, piching up a Western fan following. Today, VIZ announced that it’s bringing the popular anime series to Apple’s iTunes service, and as a special launch promotion, the first episode will be available for download for free on the iTunes Store until March 10th at http://www.itunes.com/tv/bluedragon.

“We are excited to add the beloved Blue Dragon animation to the growing library of VIZ Media titles now available on the iTunes store.” says Ken Sasaki, Sr. Vice President of Strategy & Business Development, VIZ Media. “VIZ Media is committed to giving fans the best in animated entertainment and we are thrilled to provide the best options in delivering exciting animated content in a high quality digital way.”

Sure, a free episode is a good way to grab some attention for the show. But if you need a refresher on the source material, another option would be to check out Gus Mastrapa’s review of the game to see if Blue Dragon might be up your alley to begin with.