Latest News
Realtime Worlds Wants to Give You the World
PC 07/29/10Today Realtime Worlds revealed their next project, titled Project: MyWorld, due out in 2011. I believe that this description says a lot:
What would it look like if Nintendo built Google Earth? Project: MyWorld turns the real world into a fun 3D social gaming experience. Project: MyWorld is a virtual re-creation of the real world combined with 3D gaming and social media. It is the next-generation of social gaming.
Yes, they said re-creation of the real world. The ENTIRE real world, to build, buy and play in. You can check out the main website where they have a video showing some of their plans.
TrendCast #65 Posted
07/29/10While you might not think much about video game music, it has improved greatly over time and is an integral part of the games. Some games use popular music to create their soundtrack, more often composers create the music behind the game. Tommy Tallarico is the man behind several games and the driving force behind Video Games Live. I got to interview him and you can find out more about his experience and Video Games Live, go to the latest TrendCast here.
The Next Game in the Men of War Series Debuts
PC 07/29/10Digitalmindsoft has released the debut trailer for their latest game, Men of War: Assault Squad. Check out the action in this new RTS here. What is Assault Squad about?
This stand-alone expansion takes place across the globe during the height of World War II and features a completely new cooperative skirmish game mode with access to five different nations (Russia, Germany, USA, Commonwealth and – for the first time ever in the Men of War series – Japan) as well as increased realism and accessibility. The expansion pack will deliver fans and newcomers an intense new WW2 spectacle with almost limitless replayability. Like previous games in the series, Men of War: Assault Squad includes the unique “direct control” feature which enables players to maneuver units using the directional keys, rather than pointing and clicking. PC Generals can get behind the controls of a tank to smash through obstacles, crush soldiers under its tracks and fire armor-piercing shells at enemy emplacements, or take control of individual soldiers as they fight.
Dungeons & Dragons Online Unlimited Update 6 Revealed
PC 07/28/10Turbine has revealed their next update for DDO, and this one will require every brave adventurer to break out their best swimwear. Prepare to enter the Red Fens, but first make sure you stock up of some SPF +1!
A deadly new realm is making waves in Update 6 and its waiting for you to take the plunge. The Red Fens is a vile swamp of death and terrors lurking beneath the waters. Unknown creatures cling, creep, and slink through the murk and quicksand bogs, guarding treasure that shine in the stinking darkness. But something fishy is happening in the swamp: devious creatures from the depths of the sea have come; bringing piles of valuable pearls, evil traps, and a deadly plan that is out of this world. Delve beneath the fens to uncover the creature’s sinister secrets before the flood gates open and doom is unleashed. Will you sink or swim?
For full details you can visit their Update page; a swimsuit is not required to do so.
New Dragon Age DLC Due Out on August 10th
360 PS3 PC 07/28/10Dragon Age is receiving more DLC on August 10th with the release of Golems of Amgarrak:
Delve deep underground to save a missing dwarven expedition in search of ancient secrets for creating monstrous constructs. Only you can uncover the gruesome fate that befell them. Put your Warden back in action and adventure through new environments, meet new characters and defeat never before seen creatures. With an engrossing new storyline and challenging puzzles this is one add-on you don't want to miss!
•Import your character from Origins or Awakening or create a new, high-level hero! •Face an all-new terrifying creature •Earn powerful rewards that transfer into your Awakening and Origins campaign •An advanced challenge for even the most experienced adventurers
This new adventure will cost $5 or 400 MS points.
CoD: Black Ops To Hit DS
DS 07/28/10Activision announced today that Call of Duty: Black Ops is headed for the small screen. Call of Duty: Black Ops for the Nintendo DS is billed as a "companion game" to its big brother on consoles and PC.“Call of Duty: Black Ops for the Nintendo DS is going to take the handheld Call of Duty experience to a new level,” said Dan O’Leary, n-Space Studio Head. “From taking the controls of an attack helicopter to flying an experimental stealth fighter jet, players will have a wealth of new features to utilize.”
Black Ops for the DS will feature a six-person online multiplayer mode, two-player co-op mode, and Arcade and Challenge Modes. It's rated T for Teen and will be in stores on November 9th. You can check out the official press release by clicking here.Clash of the Titans Ships
360 PS3 07/27/10The folks over at NamcoBandai have announced that their movie tie-in Clash of the Titans has shipped for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Check it out:
Through vast landscapes of swamps, mountains and the underworld, two modes of play let players embody Perseus’ adventure from the film, or take on original new bosses in fresh, dynamic adaptations of one of the greatest mythological stories ever told. An unprecedented style of action-adventure gameplay will arm players with an ever-changing arsenal of weapons. Using more than 80 customizable sub-weapons players can journey solo or with a friend to complete missions and slay a roster of more than 80 different mythological enemies including Centaurs, Cyclops, the legendary villains Medusa and the sea monster known as the Kraken.
The game is on shelves for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. If you liked the movie, here is your chance to play those parts in the game.
EQ2 Becomes Free To Play
PC 07/27/10Wanna give EverQuest II a shot? In a move we are seeing more and more commonly in the MMO world, Sony Online has announced that the game, branded as EverQuest II Extended, will become Free to Play. Here is what EverQuest II Producer, Dave "Smokejumper" Georgeson had to say about it:
The very nature of an MMO is change. We listen, we adapt, and the game grows in features, content, and fun factor as the months and years pass. Now, the expectations of gamers and the industry itself are changing around us, and it’s time for “EverQuest II” to spring forward so it can continue to expand and be successful.
Many of you are aware of the free-to-play model that’s being embraced by many of the big game developers out there. We’re not the first folks to entertain the idea for an MMO, but we do have the biggest and best virtual world to offer in such a model and we firmly believe that we can expose thousands and thousands of new players to the world of Norrath if we embrace that concept.
And here are the limitations of the free accounts:
What does “free-to-play” mean? It means that you can download the game and play all of it (except the most recent expansion) all the way up to level 80. Your character is restricted in a bunch of different ways (limited class selection, limited races, limited coin, etc.) and to unlock those features fully, you’ll need to subscribe to Gold level membership. Which, coincidentally, is $15/month. Sound familiar?
There is a LOT of content between 1 and 60, but being limited on coin could prevent you from picking up a lot of gear I'd imagine. The game is progressing into Beta if you want to take a swat at it.
New God of War: Ghost of Sparta Footage
PSP 07/27/10While it looks like Kratos' adventures on the PS3 have ended, it looks like the PSP will be getting some Greek mythology action with God of War: Ghost of Sparta. We got a little look at the action down below.
Continuum Shift Hits the Street!
360 PS3 07/27/10As a part of the videogame fighting genre's resurgence last year, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger flew under pretty much everyone's radar. Featuring razor-sharp graphics and an incredibly deep fighting system, Calamity Trigger earned a respectable 92% when we reviewed it just twelve months ago. Not ones to rest on their laurels, Aksys and Arc Systems have just released the sequel, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift:
Torrance, CA (July 27th, 2010) – Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, proudly announces BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, shipping out to stores today! The first BlazBlue Playstation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 versions were recently top 4 finalists for the VGA Awards, and Aksys Games is proud to announce we will be bringing the arcade sequel to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 3 system! BlazBlue: Continuum Shift inherits all the key features of its predecessor while adding a few twists of its own. Tsubaki, μ-12 and Hazama will join the ranks of the veterans, who will be reborn with additional moves to their arsenal. With new modes like Beginner Mode and Tutorial Mode, even fighting game beginners can pull off combos like the pros and dive right into the action.
Check out the press release and keep an eye on Gaming Trend for our upcoming review!New Map & Character Pack Now Available for Transformers: War for Cybertron
360 PS3 07/27/10New battlegrounds and playable characters have been unleashed for Transformers: War for Cybertron today. For 800 Microsoft points or $9.99 on the PSN you get the following:
The additional TRANSFORMERS characters entering the pack include SCATTERSHOT, ONSLAUGHT, SHOCKWAVE, DEMOLISHOR and JAZZ. Players have access to all five characters in the game’s adrenaline-pumping, four-player co-op Escalation mode, and will be able to select their chassis to create their own TRANSFORMERS character in competitive multiplayer. Additionally, four brand new multiplayer maps extend the diverse set of battlefields on which players can battle with or against their friends online. District and Forsaken allow fans to team up in all-new environments in Escalation mode, while Havok and Fortress deliver more frenetic gameplay in competitive multiplayer modes.
You can read the full details in the press release from Activision.
StarCraft II Officially Released
PC 07/27/10In case you somehow hadn't noticed the ads all over the internet, the long-awaited StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty was released today.
Take a look at the official press release for all more information.
"We've worked hard to deliver an epic continuation of the StarCraft story line as well as the ultimate competitive real-time strategy game with StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "Combined with the next-generation online environment of the new Battle.net, we believe players will agree that StarCraft II offers an experience unlike anything we've ever created, and we're excited to finally be able to share it with them."GameStop Buys Kongregate
PC 07/27/10GameStop has purchased the popular Flash-gaming site Kongregate.Kongregate co-founder Jim Greer expressed his excitement regarding the acquisition and offered that, "To date, our company’s unique DNA has given more than 8,500 game developers the tools to make their games social, reach a huge audience and make money from over 30,000 innovative games. This includes access to virtual currency and robust community features such as leaderboards, player achievements, profiles, multiplayer, dedicated game forums, and a site-wide leveling system. Our community will only be enhanced with GameStop’s close relationship with millions of passionate gamers."
Check out the press release for complete details.Activision Announces the Latest Batch of Tracks for Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
360 PS3 Wii 07/27/10Activision has announced 22 new tracks for the upcoming Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, including songs by Poison, Blue Oyster Cult, The Ramones and many more. Also included in the reveal are two new re-recordings:
Singers, songwriters and rock legends Alice Cooper and The Runaways went back into the studio to re-record “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and “Cherry Bomb,”
The press release has the full list for your viewing pleasure. Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is due out this September.
Alan Wake 'The Signal' Available on XBL Marketplace Today
360 07/27/10The first part of the add-on DLC for Alan Wake is due out today. Titled 'The Signal' it picks up after the main story has ended:
In this first Add-on pack for Alan Wake we find Wake facing a threat unlike anything he's ever encountered before -- and yet one he's intimately familiar with. In order to make sense of it all, he must follow the Signal.
This new DLC will be free to Alan Wake owners with the token they recieved with their new copy of the game.
MTV Games and Harmonix Announce More of the Rock Band 3 & Dance Central Set Lists
360 PS3 Wii 07/27/10MTV Games and Harmonix have announced several new tracks for both Rock Band 3 and Dance Central. Rock Band 3's set list grows by six tracks for players to rock out with:
Marilyn Manson – “The Beautiful People”
Filter – “Hey Man, Nice Shot”
Foreigner – “Cold As Ice”
Def Leppard – “Foolin’”
The B-52s – “Rock Lobster”
Tears For Fears – “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”
If dancing is more up your alley don't worry, Dance Central gets three tracks revealed:
Snoop Dogg – “Drop It Like Its Hot”
Salt-N-Pepa – “Push It”
Young MC – “Bust A Move”
There is a press release available here with all the details.
