GamingTrend

New NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 Trailer Available

2008-05-09 15:57:34

Namco Bandai has announced that a new trailer is available for Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress (what a mouthful).

NAMCO BANDAI Games today released a new trailer for NARUTO™: Ultimate Ninja Heroes™ 2: The Phantom Fortress™ for the PSP system. Highlighting the game’s unique combination of one-on-one combat and interactive storytelling, the new trailer gives gamers a taste of the extreme handheld ninja action the game holds in store for them.

Download the trailer here and check it out for yourself!

Mass Effect PC DRM Update

2008-05-09 13:05:24

Good news for PC gamers interested in Mass EFfect; BioWare has announced that they are scrapping the 10-day re-authentication requirement.

Q: Did BioWare and EA change their mind on requiring that the game be re-authorized every 10 days?

A: BioWare has always listened very closely to its fans and we made this decision to ensure we are delivering the best possible experience to them. To all the fans including our many friends in the armed services and internationally who expressed concerns that they would not be able re-authenticate as often as required, EA and BioWare want you to know that your feedback is important to us.

Thanks to Kotaku for the story.

New Spectral Force 3 Screenshots

2008-05-09 12:21:28

We have just finished uploading some new screenshots for Spectral Force 3. Check them out!

Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Coming

2008-05-09 09:07:56

Sierra Entertainment has announced that they are bringing The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor to the PS2, Wii, and Nintendo DS.

In the third-person action-adventure game The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, players will take on the roles of Rick O’Connell and his son, Alex (played by Brendan Fraser and Luke Ford, respectively, in the film). Gamers will follow the lead characters on their harrowing journey - across exotic locations from ancient Chinese catacombs to beautiful, but dangerous, Himalayan peaks - to defeat the revived servants of the Dragon Emperor (Jet Li). The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor allows players to switch seamlessly between gunplay and hand-to-hand melee attacks, and also features a fast and fluid combat system and an arsenal of weaponry that can be used to vanquish the many bone-chilling enemies players will face during their journey. Fans of the upcoming Universal Pictures film, directed by Rob Cohen and set to hit theatres this August 1st, will fight their way through The Mummy universe by utilizing combat, puzzle-solving and hieroglyphic decoding gameplay elements.

Hopefully this will be one of the better movie to game translations. It certainly has a lot of potential.

Haze Demo Released on PS3

2008-05-09 08:49:42

Ubisoft has announced that they have released a demo for Haze on the PS3.

It's finally time to feed your addiction…the playable demo for Haze has arrived. Take a Nectar-induced romp solo style, or with 3 of your friends in fierce co-op action through the Salva Region, a bright and high-octane environment, where explosions are bulbous and delightful, and deaths are fleeting and meaningless. It's the only place on earth where you can blow a stranger's head off with a jolly smile on your face. The green-orange vegetation teems with primary-colored, unthreatening wildlife for the marines to trample all over. The sunshine beats down in comforting waves as you merrily murder your fellow man. This world makes you feel confident. Artificially so, like some winsome dream.

Free Radical is the developer who also did the TimeSplitters series, so they definitely have a good history behind them. Look for Haze on store shelves soon.

Vampire Rain: Altered Species Coming

2008-05-09 08:33:42

AQ Interactive has announced that they are bringing Vampire Rain: Altered Species to the PS3.

Vampire Rain: Altered Species is an intense game that takes place during a dreary night in a suburban, west coast city in the US. For some time now, mankind has been battling the ferocious and terrifying Nightwalkers, a race of superhuman vampires who crave human blood. People have been disappearing at night; the lucky ones are found dead, but those less fortunate are reborn as Nightwalkers, and are bound by instinct to forcefully recruit unwitting victims into the Nightwalker army. Gamers take the role of John Lloyd, a member of a US special government unit created to defeat the Nightwalkers, and the only human to ever survive a physical encounter with them.

Aside from featuring a blood-chilling, story driven single player campaign, Vampire Rain: Altered Species will also feature a robust multiplayer mode.

We'll see if the game is as scary as the original Vampire Rain, but if you want to see something scary, read my review of that game.

Mines of Moria Game

2008-05-09 08:10:34

Turbine has just announed that they have a second web mini-game up on their site to promote Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria.

Turbine, Inc. and Codemasters Online today announced the launch of Swig and Toss, the second mini-game on www.unlocktheminesofmoria.com. Registered participants can challenge themselves and their friends to earn special deeds that unlock unique rewards including exclusive videos, images, and in-game items that will aid them on their journey when The Lord of the Rings Online™: Mines of Moria launches this fall.

Swig and Toss is an axe throwing competition with a bit of drinking and wagering to make things more interesting! In this 10-round game, players try to keep a steady aim while attempting to hit a target with their axe. Hit the mark and win! Miss and hear the Dwarves around you scoff at your lack of skill.

It looks to be a lot of fun, and registration is free, so why not check it out?

Splitfish Buys Glow Gaming

2008-05-09 07:30:50

Splitfish has announced that they have acquired Glow Gaming. Here is a little bit about Glow Gaming.

Glow Gaming Inc. is a corporation in Ontario Canada, with "GottaGlow" branded Game controllers. A "Gotta Glow" Wii Product is scheduled for release in Q3. All Glow Gaming products feature "luminescent" glow in the dark materials, and are highly rated by gamers and reviewers. Unlike competitor "glow" controllers who use LED or mini light technology, Glow Gaming utilizes a custom injection process with a high quality impact resistant composite to make their products glow naturally. By adding the "GottaGlow" Nintendo Wii compatible products, including controllers and accessories, to its product lineup for distribution, SplitFish will gain access to the multi-billion Nintendo Wii market. Web URL: www.glowgaming.com

Sounds like these could make some interesting Wii controllers. Wii in the dark, anyone? We'll bring you more news of these peripherals as we hear about it.

Prince of Persia - Speed Art

2008-05-08 11:01:37

Prince of Persia has been confirmed for Next-Gen platforms for an end-of-the-year appearance, but now we have a trailer that shows off some of the character art that the game will be using. It confirms the new cel shaded look of the game, and is simply impressive to watch.

The artist referred to only as "Patrick" in the trailer renders in 20 minutes what I wouldn't be able to render in 20 days. If you want a sneak peek at the end results, a few sites have leaked a few screenshots of the game in action.

Personally? I'm excited about the new direction.

Fight Night Round 4

2008-05-08 09:50:24

The rumors of the demise of the Fight Night franchise were grossly exaggagerated - EA Canada will be handling Fight Night Round 4 according to a recent announcement, and the game is slated for shelves in 2009. Here is what we know so far:

Featuring a re-written gameplay engine, EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 will add a variety of fighting styles and boxer differentiation to authentically emulate the greatest fighters of all time. Pressure your opponent with the brawling inside style of young Mike Tyson, bobbing and weaving to set up powerful hooks and uppercuts. Capitalize on Muhammad Ali’s reach, hand speed and fleetness of foot to bewilder your opponent with lightning fast jabs and straights from the outside. For the first time in history, EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 gives you the opportunity to pit these legendary heavyweights against one another and name a true champ.

No fight will be the same with an all-new physics-based animation system that recreates the full spectrum of true-to-life punch impacts, giving boxers a devastating arsenal of punches, blocks and ring movement. The new physics system allows for missed punches, glancing punches, knockout blows and for the first time ever, rough and tumble inside fighting. Fatigue, adrenaline, footwork and timing all come into play as you hammer away at your opponents.

Mike Tyson? High dynamic range lighting to accent any ear biting for 2009 it seems. Look for more on the 360/PS3 slated title as we move towards E3.

Doom 4 Announced

2008-05-07 18:40:42

Great news for Doom fans!

id Software today announced that it has begun production on Doom 4, and is now in the process of expanding its internal team of developers to work on the shooter sequel.

"Doom is part of the id Software DNA and demands the greatest talent and brightest minds in the industry to bring the next installment of our flagship franchise to Earth," said id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead in a release.

I cannot wait! Check out the complete Press Release here.

GTA IV Stats for Xbox 360

2008-05-07 16:57:43

Microsoft is reporting some interesting numbers about the just released Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV.

In the first week, more than 2.3 million people played Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox LIVE
GTA IV is now the number one played game on Xbox LIVE
Over the weekend, we saw the Xbox LIVE service reach 1 million concurrent users
Gamers have unlocked more than 12 million achievements worth over 100 million gamerscore points in GTA
Grand Theft Auto IV set a new record for time played, with the average gamer spending more than four hours playing the game on LIVE in the first week alone

Impressive! You can find the rest of the results (including the GTA4 attach rate) in the press release.

Mass Effect PC, Spore To Use Securom DRM

2008-05-07 16:24:08

According to a post on the official Mass Effect forums, the PC version released by EA will use SecuROM, as will EA's release of Spore later this year.

Mass Effect uses SecuROM and requires an online activation for the first time that you play it. Each copy of Mass Effect comes with a CD Key which is used for this activation and for registration here at the BioWare Community. Mass Effect does not require the DVD to be in the drive in order to play, it is only for installation.

After the first activation, SecuROM requires that it re-check with the server within ten days (in case the CD Key has become public/warez'd and gets banned). Just so that the 10 day thing doesn't become abrupt, SecuROM tries its first re-check with 5 days remaining in the 10 day window. If it can't contact the server before the 10 days are up, nothing bad happens and the game still runs. After 10 days a re-check is required before the game can run.

Well, at least they're not using StarForce...

Another Lego Batman Video

2008-05-07 15:46:47

For all the admirers of LEGO games, the developers of Lego Batman have released another video for us gamers to enjoy. This trailer will portray two of the game's villains, the Scarecrow and Two-Face.

DOFUS 2.0 Announced

2008-05-07 14:49:40

Ankama has announced the release of DOFUS 2.0, a web-based tactical MMORPG.

DOFUS, Ankama’s tactical MMORPG which has already attracted 7 million players worldwide, is on the way to being completely revamped, and is scheduled for launch in Fall 2008, with a beta version planned for September.

The code has been completely rewritten in Action Script 3 so now the leading Flash MMO will prove even faster and more responsive, while over 2,000 animations and 10,000 maps are being entirely redrawn.

With this complete revision, the game will be much more fluid, attractive and fun while keeping the same minimum system requirements, gameplay and features that have made it a worldwide success through the years.

Communication with the servers has been revised and optimised by the development team to deliver better performance and to allow future expansions to evolve more freely.

Looks like the developers are revising a whole lot of code to make the game run more efficient. I personally haven't tried the game, but with a player base of over 7 million people, they must be doing something right. Lets hope the update will cause the game to grow even larger.

Fallout 3 Music & Inon Zur

2008-05-07 09:34:29

Bethesda Softworks sends word that they have signed composer Inon Zur to create music for the upcoming Fallout 3.

“We’ve wanted to work with Inon for a long time,” said Todd Howard executive producer of Fallout 3. “He brings so much to the table, in terms of his talent, background, and the music that’s influenced him. He’s created a score that has epic sweep; from the lonely ambience of the wasteland to dramatic fights for survival.”

For more information, take a look at the official press release.

Wii Fit New York City Launch Event

2008-05-07 09:27:27

To celebrate the North American release of Wii Fit, Nintendo is holding an all-day event in New York City's Central Park.

How will Wii Fit move you? Discover for yourself at New York's Central Park Merchants' Gate on May 19, as Nintendo hosts a spectacular all-day launch event for Wii Fit, the highly anticipated new program for the popular Wii home video game system that combines fun and fitness. The event doubles as a celebration of May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, putting all kinds of bodies -- young and old, big and small -- in motion with live demonstrations of Wii Fit and the new Wii Balance Board.

As usual, the press release contains complete details.

Lord of the Rings Online Welcome Back Weekend

2008-05-07 08:53:35

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Lord of the Rings Online, Turbine is inviting previous account holders to reactivate their accounts for a free weekend.

Former subscribers can play their old characters, check out the LOTRO Anniversary celebration events, explore new areas, and tackle new quests. To take part in the Welcome Back Weekend, players can simply log into their LOTRO account from May 8-12, 2008.

Take a look at the press release for more information.

Stride Gum vs. Uwe Boll

2008-05-07 08:48:06

Opposition to Uwe Boll's terrible game-based movies is now coming from an unexpected source: Cadbury.

“Since gamers are one of our most supportive groups, we’ve been looking for ways to return the favor,” said Gary Osifchin, Stride North American Marketing Director. “And what better way is there to get gamers’ backs than by helping them rescue their cherished videogames from the clutches of Uwe Boll?”

For more details about the chewing gum manufacturer's wacky antics, check out the press release.

More Siren This Summer

2008-05-06 19:56:35

According to a story at PS3 Fanboy, the further adventures of a haunted village in Japan will continue episodically with Siren Blood Curse.

SCEE has announced, via their PlayStation Day asset disc, that Siren Blood Curse will be made available this Summer in Europe. Blood Curse will be an episodic, downloadable experience via the PlayStation Network and promises to be "the most terrifying game in the Siren series to date." While the twelve episode series begins this Summer, there's no word on how often new episodes will be made available.

You can read the full text of the story right here.

PS3 Y1 = FAIL

2008-05-06 19:54:20

Next Generation reports that none other than Kaz Hirai himself declares openly that the first year of the Playstation 3 was underwhelming to say the least.

"I think it's fair to say that the first year of PlayStation 3 was somewhat a difficult one," said Hirai at Sony's PlayStation Day in London. "There were some teething problems, success from our competitors, and our customers were a little underwhelmed by the range of titles that were available.

"This is something that we're very much aware of, and something we were always confident we could overcome."

You can read the full story right here.

THQ On Job Cuts

2008-05-06 19:49:32

Gamasutra reports that THQ, in a conference call, reported a plan to restore profitability to the company which includes layoffs.

These include a new greenlight process, testing the waters of microtransaction supported free to play games, and layoffs of some 200 employees -- though the company plans to grow its headcount by year-end.

Farrell said in the call that its performance was the "first time in many years" the company did not deliver profit, and noted a number of the challenges THQ faced in 2007.

You can read the full text of the story right here.

M.A.D.D. vs GTAIV

2008-05-06 19:47:13

The AP has a story which pits Mothers Against Drunk Drivers against Take Two and Grand Theft Auto IV because of the in-game opportunities to drink then drive... which is funny as all hell by the way and if you have the game and haven't tried this it is at once hysterical and frightening.

"Drunk driving is not a game, and it is not a joke," MADD said in a statement released Tuesday. "Drunk driving is a choice, a violent crime and it is also 100 percent preventable."

MADD is also calling on publisher Take-Two Interactive and developer Rockstar Games to consider stopping distribution of the game — which analysts expect to sell 9 million copies and make over $400 million at launch — "out of respect for the millions of victims/survivors of drunk driving."

Bear in mind, while trying this in the game you honestly cannot control yourself very well even though you think you can, which is about as accurate a description of drunkenness as one can find. You can read the full text of the story right here.

10 Rules For Game Hate

2008-05-06 19:37:52

Destructoid takes aim this week at the anti-video game lobby with 10 Golden Rules they just can't seem to make their point(s) without.

1: Exaggerate, twist, but above all ... LIE!:

If you have a problem with videogames, there's every chance that you have a valid and sensible reason for doing so at heart. Let's face facts, though -- when has being sensible ever made the headlines? If you want your kids to stop playing Grand Theft Auto, then you're going to have to exercise your right as an American to make stuff up and invent things until you get a call from the local news network. This is for America!

You can check out the rest of the spot-on list right here.

New Portal Maps

2008-05-06 19:35:31

Next-Generation has the story on several new maps for the brilliant Portal finding their way online... again. As it turns out, the crew behind the equally brilliant Flash game based on Valve's brainbender have converted their Flash maps into the real deal.

Portal: The Flash Version map pack is now available. Those same guys over at We Create Stuff have turned their original 40 levels from the Flash version into actual Portal maps! Those old levels coupled with some extra levels and features will net Portal fans about three and a half additional hours of Portal gameplay.

If you’re new to this version you can expect a little prequel action, with the We Create Stuff game taking place before the action of the official Valve Portal. Aperture Science just never rests, does it?

You can read the whole story and download the maps right here.

New Crash Bandicoot Video

2008-05-06 15:34:06

Looks like Crash Bandicoot is returning with a vengeance. Check out this video showing off some...ehrm...family-jewel kicking action in Crash Bandicoot: Mind over Mutant. Enjoy!

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Prequel Announced

2008-05-06 07:11:04

Whatever your opinions of the game, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was definitely a high-profile release last year, and it had some great ideas. For fans of the game, they've just announced a prequel, called S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky. The title sounds a little too optimistic for my taste. Presumably "STALKER: Puppies and Hugs" was taken. Here's some details:

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky is a survival FPS game for PC based on a 'what-if' scenario of the second Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident. The game is created as a warning to mankind against mindless play with technologies.

Clear Sky is expected to be available worldwide on August 29, 2008. You can read the full press release here, and take a gander at the game record right here.

Hope Springs Eternal

2008-05-05 22:49:44

Merscom has announced that it is publishing Hope Springs Eternal, the next game in the Carol Reed adventure game series.

“Hope Springs Eternal is the perfect compliment to our previous adventure games, it is a beautiful point-and-click adventure that will really appeal to the casual gamer.” explained Lloyd Melnick, Chief Customer Officer at Merscom, “I really think the by-pass feature, which allows gamers to skip over complicated puzzles if they choose, is perfect for the casual gamer; it provides control over the game playing experience. I am confident this will be yet another hit for us.”

If you're interested, you can find the details and digital download instructions in the official press release.

Rock Band

2008-05-05 18:36:05

Good news for Wii and PS2 owners

Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a division of MTV Networks, which is a division of Viacom), along with distribution partner Electronic Arts, Inc., today announced plans to release Rock Band Track Pack Volume 1 for the Wii home video game console from Nintendo and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. The 20-Track Pack features an electrifying mix of classic hits and current favorites, including songs by Boston, Nine Inch Nails, Stone Temple Pilots, and All American Rejects. The Rock Band Track Pack Volume 1 will be available on July 15th, 2008 for a MSRP of $29.99.

For all the info and a complete track listing, check out our Press Release.

New Izuna 2 Screenshots

2008-05-05 15:42:00

The developers of Izuna 2 have released some new screenshots of the game. Looks to be another awesome little rogue-like game with a cast of memorable characters. Who doesn't enjoy playing an unemployed ninja? Enjoy!

Wits & Wagers on XBLA

2008-05-05 09:24:12

This Wednesday's XBLA offering will be Wits & Wagers.

Break out the Big Button pad controllers and invite friends over for an entertaining couch vs. couch multiplayer experience on Xbox LIVE, supporting 1-4 players offline and 2-6 players in online multiplayer mode. With 700 trivia questions, great character costumes and dance moves, catchy music, achievements, leaderboards, support for the Xbox LIVE Vision Camera, the Xbox Big Button Pad and more, “Wits & Wagers” is the fun party game you can play with your family and friends starting this Wednesday!

Check out the press release for complete details.

Bus Driver Goes Gold

2008-05-05 09:15:35

Publisher Meridian4 has announced that the North American version of Bus Driver is gold and should be shipping later this month.

In Bus Driver, your job is to transport passengers around an attractive and realistic city. You must drive to a timetable on a planned route, while obeying traffic rules, and taking care not to upset or injure your passengers. This makes Bus Driver unlike any other driving game - the experience of driving a bus is very different from blazing through a racing circuit.

Take a look at the press release for more information.

Crosswords DS Released

2008-05-05 08:51:16

Today Nintendo announced they have released Crosswords DS to the masses.

Today's launch of Crosswords DS for the portable Nintendo DS video game system puts more than 1,000 crossword puzzles into the palm of your hand. Crosswords DS includes puzzles at multiple skill levels, so anyone from beginners to experts can give it a try. As you progress, the puzzles get bigger and more challenging. Because you write all your answers directly on the touch screen with your stylus, there's no need for erasers - just write your new answer over your old one. Crosswords DS also includes a sophisticated hint system if you get stuck. Just tap the Hint button with your stylus and choose to receive another clue, reveal a hidden letter or solve the whole word.

“Crosswords DS brings crossword puzzles into the 21st century in a way that's accessible to everyone,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “And because Nintendo DS is so light and portable, you can play it anywhere at any time.”

Sounds like a fun casual game. Look for it now if you enjoy word games.

Wii-kly Update May 5, 2008

2008-05-05 08:34:21

Today Nintendo announced two new games for their Wii Virtual Console. Without further ado, here are the two games available:

Pokemon Puzzle League (Nintendo 64, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Get ready for a new kind of Pokemon battle where the power and speed of your brain are just as important as the strength of your Pokemon. Join Ash, Brock, Misty and many more characters from the Pokemon animated series as they gather in Puzzle Village to compete for the title of Pokemon Puzzle Master. Just match three or more blocks of the same color in any direction. Sounds simple, right? But the actual game play is surprisingly addictive and deep (chains and combos anyone?), especially when you're facing off against a human opponent. Choose from six different modes offering a wide range of action, from story or puzzle modes to continuous play or timed play. If that's not enough, take on the challenge in 3-D and get ready for more blocks than ever before. Featuring animated cut scenes combined with bright, fun graphics, there's enough to satisfy any fan of Pokemon or puzzle games.

Renegade (NES, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older - Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): Renegade follows the story of a vigilante who fights his way through countless gangs in order to bring peace back to his city. Battle your way through subways, parks, alleyways and parking lots. For added fun, there's a wild motorcycle ride to challenge you. Use your arsenal of kicks, punches (including the infamous sit-on punch) and jump kicks, as well as a variety of throws to knock your opponents into submission. Along the way, pick up items like a hamburger that restores your life, a heart that increases your lives by one, a power-up to increase your attack strength, and a speed item that gives you a speed burst while on your motorcycle. You'll need all the help you can get to take out your aggression on street punks, thugs, outlaw bikers, killer kung-fu females and an array of bosses standing in your way. Take the law into your own hands to defeat countless scumbags and take your city back like the renegade you are.

I almost expected Renegade to be based on an old Lorenzo Lamas TV series. In any case, look for both of these in the Wii Shopping Channel today.