DESIGN A HERO – SAVE VIDEO GAMES: 88 HEROES WANTS YOU!
From Your Brain, Straight Into the Game! Win the Chance to Have Your Own Character Design Appear as a Playable Hero in Forthcoming Action Game
Los Angeles, CA – May 25, 2016 – Today, video game publisher Rising Star Games and game developer Bitmap Bureau want YOU to don your brightest cape and tightest spandex as they invite you to become a part of 88 Heroes’ design process. Pick up your finest crayon and wow us with your most creative hero designs and your delightful doodle could become the game’s 88th playable hero!
The criteria are simple: design a hero (or zero!) with a unique skill that will help or hinder players as they navigate the side-scrolling enemy-filled and booby-trapped levels. Entries may be submitted digitally by any means. You could scribble a doodle on a fast food wrapper, create a rich and lore-filled backstory for your hero in a 100-page document – or anything and everything in between.
To help you on your way, we’ve provided a basic template accompanying this press release HERE. Just remember, the three essentials to include are: a visual sketch or drawing of the hero (as basic or elaborate as you like), the hero’s name (keep it clean!), and a description of the hero’s unique skill. That’s it! Closing date for entries is 30th June 2016. Send entries to [email protected] or tweet your entries @88heroesgame
88 Heroes is a chaotic 2D platformer that is as fun to watch as it is to play, where each level completed or untimely death brings a new uniquely skilled hero into the action. With just 88 minutes to complete all 88 levels, you’ll need every one of the 88 heroes to stop the dastardly Dr. H8 destroying the Earth! Are you up to the challenge?
Struggling to create your killer character concept? Here are some examples of the heroes and their skills that already feature in the game:
Gonan – Muscle-bound warrior wielding a mighty sword that’s slow to swing but can slash through scenery to create shortcuts
PowerTron – Robo law enforcer who fires missiles that are deadly to enemies, but also himself
Neutron Brothers – Scientists fused together in a lab blunder, who can teleport through walls and even into enemies to kill them
Max Velocity – With a rocket pack strapped to his back there’s nowhere he can’t fly, but he’s a piloting nightmare
Invisible Sheriff – You can’t hide from the law if you can’t see it coming; hard to see but also hard for enemies to hit.
For more inspiration, follow the ever-growing assembly of daily character reveals for 88 Heroes on Twitter. And, watch the latest trailer on YouTube.
Developed by Bitmap Bureau and published by Rising Star Games, 88 Heroes will release on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, PC, Mac, Linux and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, with a target release date of August 8, 2016.
For more information on 88 Heroes, please visit the official site: 88heroes.com.
Follow Rising Star Games on Twitter and visit the official Rising Star Games website.
Please see the competition terms and conditions, found here.
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ABOUT BITMAP BUREAU
Bitmap Bureau is a creatively ambitious UK games studio. Founded by Mike Tucker, Stefan Barnett and Matt Cope, they boast over 50 years combined industry experience. Nothing will stop these hard bitten game-making gumshoes, trying to crack the case of video game perfection! bitmapbureau.com/
ABOUT RISING STAR GAMES
Rising Star Games is a privately held video games publisher with a global reach. With operating offices in Europe and USA the company publishes video game entertainment across all gaming platforms from Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and via Steam. With decades of combined experience and a genuine passion for interactive entertainment, Rising Star Games is proud of its ever-expanding and enormously diverse catalogue of over 120 titles.
Mischievous YO-KAI inhabit FINAL FANTASY XIV this summer
New Collaboration Welcomes Familiar Characters from YO-KAI WATCH to the World of FINAL FANTASY XIV
London (May 25, 2016) – SQUARE ENIX® has teamed up with LEVEL-5 to announce a new collaboration welcoming characters from YO-KAI WATCH™ to FINAL FANTASY® XIV. The time limited event will launch this summer and feature a total of 13 different Yo-kai from YO-KAI WATCH, including Jibanyan and Whisper. Players will be able to earn special quest rewards, such as original Yo-kai themed weapons, mounts, and minions.
As part of the collaborative effort with FINAL FANTASY XIV, Chocobo® and Moogle™ will also appear as “Chocobonyan” and “Mooglenyan” in YO-KAI WATCH 3: Sushi and YO-KAI WATCH 3: Tempura which will launch in Japan exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
Further details of the collaboration event will be announced in the coming months.
About LEVEL-5
LEVEL-5 Inc. plans, creates, and markets video game software and produces mega-hit IPs targeting kids in Japan. The company specializes in cross-media strategies and oversees corresponding counterparts (anime, toys, manga, etc.) for its titles.
The company’s flagship PROFESSOR LAYTON™ series has shipped over 15.5 million units worldwide, The Ni no Kuni™ series, featuring animations created by the Academy Award-winning Studio Ghibli, has sold over 1.5 million titles worldwide and received numerous prominent game awards.
LEVEL-5’s cross-media titles include INAZUMA ELEVEN™, Little Battlers eXperience, and most recently, YO-KAI WATCH, which has sold over 10 million copies of its games worldwide.
All forms of YO-KAI WATCH merchandise, including toys and games, are universally popular among people of all ages.
While maintaining its foundation as a game company, LEVEL-5 Inc. continues to actively explore collaborations with other media as it strives to flourish as a world-class entertainment brand. To learn more, please visit www.level5.co.jp/abby .
About YO-KAI WATCH YO-KAI WATCH is a cross-media universe that follows the hilarious misadventures of an average human boy and his involvement with the mischievous Yo-kai all around him. Our young hero obtains a special watch that empowers him to discover and summon the mysterious Yo-kai, befriend them, and work together to solve everyday problems . . . that are often caused by other trouble-making Yo-kai!
YO-KAI WATCH is poised to take the North American mobile market by storm after its successful Nintendo 3DS video game launch, vaulting to the top of the TV ratings, and its toys selling out around the country.
About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd., a part of the Square Enix Europe business unit, develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix Group. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix Group boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 110 million units worldwide, DRAGON QUEST® which has sold over 66 million units worldwide and TOMB RAIDER® which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
KOEI TECMO EUROPE REVEALS DETAILS FOR ‘HERO MODE’ IN UPCOMING STRATEGY EPIC ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIII
New videos and a variety of screenshots showcasing the historical simulation mode also revealed!
Hertfordshire, 25th May 2016- Koei Tecmo Europe today revealed a variety of new assets and details of the Hero Mode for the latest entry to the renowned strategy series, Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII, available on PlayStation4 computer entertainment system (physical and digital), and PC via Steam from the 8th July 2016.
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII players will have the option to relive the historic battles which led to the unification of 2nd century China through the historical simulation and comprehensive tutorial, ‘Hero Mode’. As well as learning how best to utilise the in-depth strategic gameplay and advanced game mechanics, players will be able to experience a story rich in Chinese history. Detailed CG cutscenes have been crafted to further immerse the players in this historically accurate tale that highlights the most heroic deeds of the strongest, wisest, or most powerful characters of the Three Kingdoms Era.
To showcase this immersive mode, Koei Tecmo released two cutscenes illustrating the gripping drama of this era of political instability. The first covers the Oath of the Peach Garden, detailing the moment Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei made an oath to become sworn brothers. In the second players can view a scene from the Battle of Hulao Pass. The three sworn brothers, after joining the allied army to kill the tyrant Dong Zhuo, need to fight his most powerful officer, Lu Bu.
Koei Tecmo also released a selection of Character Portraits for the prominent military figures found within Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII. Featuring fan favourites such as Zhao Yun, Taishi Ci, Lu Meng, Li Dian and Xu Zhu. For these characters there are two alternate poses which are used throughout the game. Battle poses are used in communication between characters in the midst of battle, displaying their battle stance. The Civic poses on the other hand are used outside of battle, highlighting each character’s personality.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII takes place during a turbulent era of political instability, large-scale conflict, and human drama. Based on the beloved novel of the same name, it tells the tale of a collapsing dynasty and the power-hungry emerging factions during the fateful events leading to the unification of 2nd century China. Blending deep strategic, and historically accurate, warfare on beautifully detailed battlegrounds, players are called to climb the proverbial leadership ladder as one of 700 historical characters or to create their own hero and write their own page in history.
MARVELOUS REVEALS LAUNCH DATE FOR WINDOWS PC RELEASE OF BUSTY 3D BRAWLER, SENRAN KAGURA SHINOVI VERSUS
The Buxom Beauties of the SENRAN KAGURA Series Head to PC in a Franchise First. Former PSVita Exclusive Receives HD Makeover.
Tunbridge Wells, London—25th May, 2016—Marvelous today announced that the Windows PC version of its previous PlayStation®Vita-exclusive entry in the SENRAN KAGURA beat-’em-up series, SENRAN KAGURA SHINOVI VERSUS, is headed to Steam on 1st June, 2016 for £22.99. Including all DLC from the game’s PSVita release free of charge and boasting crisp HD textures to complement the bouncy brawler’s fast-paced action, the Windows PC release of SHINOVI VERSUS promises to be bigger and better than ever. To celebrate the occasion, the game will be offered at 10% off its regular list price of £22.99 for the first week after launch (other international pricing may vary).
SENRAN KAGURA SHINOVI VERSUS takes the ninja schoolgirls introduced to the world via SENRAN KAGURA Burst and pits them against one another in an all-new standalone story. Through a 3D lens, players will now be able to revisit the rivalry between the students of the Hanzō National Academy and their sworn enemies at Hebijo Clandestine Girls’ Academy, the latter of which have gone underground and formed a mercenary group known as Homura’s Crimson Squad. Both sides must also contend with two new sets of enemies: the students from the exceptionally strict Gessen Girls’ Academy, as well as the new generation of Hebijo students who seek to dominate all rivals. Each of the four schools gets its own unique narrative, and the original Japanese voice-overs pair with full English subtitles to bring each girl’s distinct personality and storyline to life.
Fan-favorite elements such as massive mid-air combos, Secret Ninja Techniques, and clothes-ripping action will now be presented in full HD with this Windows PC update of SENRAN KAGURA SHINOVI VERSUS. In addition, all previously released DLC from the game’s PSVita release — including extra characters, costumes, weapons, and more — will be included from the start, fully unlockable through gameplay. With over 20 playable characters, each featuring her own diverse fighting style and palette of special skills, players will have to master a vast array of abilities as they set forth upon the Path of the Shinobi. Players can also compete in three online multiplayer modes each designed for up to four players, including Death Match, Strip Battle (try to unclothe opponents), and Understorm (a race to grab the most undergarments falling from the sky).
Developed by Marvelous Inc. and Tamsoft and published on Windows PC worldwide by XSEED Games, SENRAN KAGURA SHINOVI VERSUS will launch via Steam on 1st June, 2016. The Windows PC version of this title is not rated. The PSVita edition has been rated PEGI 16, USK 16 and M in Australia.
New trailers for STAR OCEAN: Integrity And Faithlessness introduce new characters and showcase game system
Exclusive Dynamic Character Theme for PlayStation®Store Also Announced
LONDON (25th May 2016) – Square Enix Ltd., today revealed a selection a trailers to further introduce fans to the universe of STAR OCEAN®: Integrity and Faithlessness™. The new character spotlight videos feature all-new footage introducing the characters Anne and Emmerson, a pair of travelers who join Fidel on his quest to protect Relia, and the Kingdom of Trei’kur, a desolate wasteland country currently at war with Fidel’s home country of Resulia.
A brand new gameplay trailer also showcases a variety of gameplay systems both new and familiar to the STAR OCEAN series, including;
· “Item Creation,” a recipe based system
· “Synthesis,” a way for players to obtain extremely rare gear
· “Private Actions,” a system which allows players to learn more about the characters and ultimately affecting the type of ending they will receive
A new dynamic character theme was also announced exclusively for fans who pre-order the Digital Day One Edition from the PlayStation®Store. The theme features the main characters, Fidel in the city of Central Resulia, Miki in her hometown of Stahl, and Relia in the team’s spaceship, with music from the soundtrack composed by Motoi Sakuraba.
STAR OCEAN: Integrity and Faithlessness will be released in Europe and PAL territories on 1stJuly 2016 for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system. The game will be available with English and French in-game text only.
A Collector’s Edition which features a steelbook™ case, 80-page artbook, in-game DLC and much more will also be available in limited quantities. The Collector’s Edition is available to pre-order now exclusively from SQUARE ENIX Online store, priced at £84.99 / €99.99. For more information, visit the Square Enix store.
About STAR OCEAN: Integrity and Faithlessness
Set between the events of the second and third games in the series , STAR OCEAN: Integrity and Faithlessness takes place centuries after humans have left Earth for the stars. At this point in history, the Pangalactic Federation is nearing the fulfilment of its mission: Peace and order throughout the galaxy. However, the embers of conflict begin to stir once more on the planet of Faykreed, 6,000 light years from Earth, as a new story begins in the ocean of stars.
About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd., a part of the Square Enix Europe business unit, develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix Group. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix Group boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 110 million units worldwide, DRAGON QUEST® which has sold over 66 million units worldwide and TOMB RAIDER® which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://www.square-enix.com/eu/en/ .
STAR OCEAN, INTEGRITY AND FAITHLESSNESS, the STAR OCEAN: INTEGRITY AND FAITHLESSNESS logo, FINAL FANTASY, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, TAITO and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
LONDON (25th May 2016) – Square Enix Ltd., released its debut gameplay trailer for I AM SETSUNA, set to arrive in Europe and PAL territories on 19th July on the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system and STEAM.
The debut title from the all-new studio Tokyo RPG Factory tells the sorrowful and unforgettable story of Setsuna, a young woman of incredible inner strength, as she ventures on a journey with her two safeguards to make the ultimate sacrifice to save the people of her land. The new gameplay trailer introduces viewers to the title’s beautiful art, music, story and game design, and showcases the CHRONO TRIGGER® inspired battle system in more depth.
I AM SETSUNA is now available to pre-purchase on STEAM – those who pre-purchase will receive a special music track from composer, Tomoki Miyoshi. Additionally, those who pre-order via the SQUARE ENIX Online Store will also receive five special character avatars.
I AM SETSUNA will be available digitally in Europe and PAL territories on 19th July 2016 on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Steam®, priced at £29.99 / €39.99.
About I AM SETSUNA I AM SETSUNA tells the sorrowful story of Setsuna; a young woman of incredible inner strength and the sacrifice she must undertake to the save the people of her land. As Setsuna leaves with her two safeguards for the farthest land, players will be immersed in an emotional and unforgettable story of true bravery.
About Tokyo RPG Factory
Established in August 2014, Tokyo RPG Factory is a new studio within Square Enix specializing in Japanese RPGs. The studio revisits the ethos and practices used to develop for the 16-bit era and aims to re-introduce the classic JRPG style to current hardware, mixing the spirit of the past with technologies of today.
Taking inspiration from the golden era of JRPGs and their story telling, innovation and depth – the first title from the studio, I AM SETSUNA, will arrive in Europe and North America in 2016.
About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd., a part of the Square Enix Europe business unit, develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix Group. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix Group boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 110 million units worldwide, DRAGON QUEST® which has sold over 66 million units worldwide and TOMB RAIDER® which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://www.square-enix.com/eu/en/ .
I AM SETSUNA, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, FINAL FANTASY, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, TAITO, TOKYO RPG FACTORY, the TOKYO RPG FACTORY logo, and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
LEARN TO DRAW DOZENS OF DISNEY AND PIXAR CHARACTERS IN DISNEY ART ACADEMY, LAUNCHING ON NINTENDO 3DS ON JULY 16
Share your magical creations and show your takes on beloved Disney characters via social medi
25th May 2016 – Calling all budding artists and Disney fans! In the Disney Art Academy game, launching exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems on July 16 at a suggested retail price of AU$49.95, you can use a wide variety of tools to learn to draw more than 80 Disney and Pixar characters in 2D. By setting your own pace through multiple easy-to-follow lessons, characters like Mickey Mouse, Nemo from Finding Nemo, Elsa from Frozen, Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story and Simba from The Lion King come to life on your Nintendo 3DS screen.
In Disney Art Academy, Disney and Pixar characters can be sketched or painted in many different ways. Using nine art tools like pastels, paintbrushes or markers, you can discover your inner artist by participating in lessons inspired by Disney art and animation. Each lesson guides you through a step-by-step progression to draw a single character. What starts as a series of lines and shapes will gradually evolve into a familiar character using your new art skills! If you ever want to take a break, lessons can easily be saved to continue from the same spot at a later time.
You can even add some extra flair with the magic brush, a new addition to the Art Academy series. With the magic brush, magical additions like stars, bubbles, and glitter can be added to your masterpieces – all easily accessed by using the touch screen on Nintendo 3DS.
As your art skills improve and you create more and more Disney and Pixar characters, you may very well want to share your creations with others. That can easily be accomplished directly in the game by connecting to the Internet and sharing through Miiverse or social media via the Nintendo 3DS Image Share service.
Completed artwork is also saved to the Nintendo 3DS system’s SD card, allowing you to upload your creations to a personal computer and print them out, and parents will be able to easily display their children’s art by printing their favourite drawings.
If you want to create outside the game’s numerous lessons you’re in luck, as Disney Art Academy includes a Free Paint mode that lets you draw even more characters any way you choose. In Free Paint, you can put your newly learned skills to the test by drawing on a blank canvas, or you can select from more than 80 Disney images to use as reference as you add to your virtual gallery. All completed artwork can be viewed at any time in the game’s Clubhouse, where you can also select your favourite pieces to be viewed in a personal showcase slideshow.
Learn to draw more than 80 Disney characters and show off your creations when Disney Art Academy launches on July 16 in Australia and New Zealand for Nintendo 3DS family systems.
Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit the Nintendo website.
World of Tanks Takes the Course of Feedback-Driven Development
The newest update introduces long-awaited changes to tanks, UI and UX elements
May 25, 2016 — Wargaming is excited to bring a pack of community-requested changes to World of Tanks with Update 9.15, which will be released May 25 for Europe and North America, and May 30–31 in Asia and Korea. Coming to the game in this update are balance tweaks to tanks, as well as changes to UI and UX elements and further physics and sound improvements—all of which have been implemented off feedback the dev team has received from players.
Evolution in World of Tanks is a gradual process, but thanks to players, the dev team addressed elements that truly take their experience up a gear. A number of popular mods have been added to the client to make it more user friendly. Now it’s possible to extend Garage filters, view several previously hidden vehicle characteristics, which will change in real-time when certain upgrades are used, and more, in a safe and easy way.
“Work on Update 9.15 started with having a conversation with the players,” said Anton Pankov, World of Tanks Global Publishing Producer. “We connected with them on social media, our forums, during player gatherings; spoke to opinion leaders in the community and trialed changes on test servers to set our priorities. It’s invaluable, and from this we’re able to further polish features and mechanics.
“In the future, we’ll be addressing more player requests, and introducing the sandbox: the first step in one of the biggest changes in World of Tanks history. We’ll be rebalancing every single tank in the game—a truly massive task. Feedback matters more than ever. We’ll be in close communication with the community every step of the way because it’s only by working together that we can make World of Tanks the best experience possible.”
The improved physics and sound, which were introduced last update, are still being enhanced. Now you’ll find the chance of your tank toppling over has been decreased, the damage you take from falling has been lowered, and you won’t find yourself getting stuck on the scenery right when it matters.
Uniting all of these features is engine optimization, which should improve performance depending on the configuration of your computer, as well as ensure FPS stability.
For more information on World of Tanks Update 9.15, visit the official website:
World of Tanks is a team-based massively multiplayer online action game dedicated to armored warfare of the mid-20th century. Throw yourself into the epic tank battles of World War II with other steel cowboys all over the world. Your arsenal includes over 450 armored vehicles from the United States, Germany, the Soviet Union, France, Great Britain, Japan, China, Czechoslovakia carefully detailed with historical accuracy.
About Wargaming
Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher and one of the leaders in the free-to-play MMO market. Founded as a privately held company in 1998, Wargaming has shipped over 15 titles. Currently, Wargaming is focused on its team-based MMO war series dedicated to the mid-20th century warfare that includes the armored World of Tanks, the flight combat World of Warplanes, and the naval World of Warships. The three intertwined titles form a common gaming universe integrated within the portal www.wargaming.net.
As part of its multiplatform line-up, the company has introduced World of Tanks on Xbox and World of Tanks Blitz on mobile platforms, Windows 10 PCs and Mac OS X. Launched in 2014 and 2015, World of Tanks on Xbox introduced epic tank-on-tank battles to console gamers and offers the first cross-platform gaming experience between Xbox 360 and Xbox One. In 2016, Wargaming released World of Tanks for PlayStation®4, continuing its console campaign.
NEXT LEVEL ARCADE RACING GAME “ROAD RACING” REVS UP TO IOS DEVICES Leading mobile games developer T-Bull announces new addition to their racing portfolio
Los Angeles- May 26, 2016– T-Bull, one of the largest companies specialized in mobile games, announced that its last title, Road Racing, will be available for the iPhone and iPad today. It will be available later for Android and all major platforms. The latest addition to the T-Bull racing game catalogue will be available for free on the app store. Set in the “Top Speed: Drag & fast Racing” Universe, Road Racing delivers a frantic fast paced, action-packed arcade racing experience boasting exhilarating high speed police car chases, extreme customization with top notch realistic graphics.
“When developing Road Racing, we set for ourselves very high standards that required for us to blend our racing genre expertise with the feedback collected from our fans. By listening to the players and drawing upon our technical resources, we forged a racing experience second to none for mobile devices” says Damian Fijałkowski, Co-Founder of T-Bull.
Road Racing lets players experience one of the most fulfilling and satisfying traffic dodging experience in the world in an arcade racing environment. Standing in traffic was never an option. Unleash high-octane arcade action on a ticket-earning rampage, break the rules, challenge the odds and play to win. Beat crazy challenges and race in a selection of modified cars.
Discover the Road Racing trailer :
Game Features:
– Intense graphics
– Ruthless police chases (with helicopters!)
– Ferocious challenges
– Picturesque and unlimited tracks
– Cutting-edge car tuning
– Online leaderboards
– Dashing car racing action
Road Racingwill be available FREE on iOS devices on May, 26th and in June for Android. The game will be available on all major platforms as Windows or BlackBerry in the future.
To download Road Racing, please visit the App Store or visit http://www.T-Bull.com/ for more information. Want to know more? Please visit T-Bull’s Facebook page.
About T-Bull T-Bull is one of the largest companies producing mobile games in Poland. Founded by Damian Fijałkowski and Grzegorz Zwoliński in 2010, the studio based in Wrocław, has grown from a five-person team working out of a home office to 40 individuals headquartered in the most famous skyscraper in the country. Their apps have accumulated more than 100 000 000 downloads on Google Play, App Store, BlackBerry World and Windows Store. The gaming landscape is changing and they are at the forefront of free-to-play, defining the new rules for success. T-Bull adjusts its strategy to market conditions and consistently implements it by focusing on the production of mobile games with high production values. The greatest success is Top Speed: Drag & Fast Racing that has already accumulated more than 1 million downloads during first month. The game became a part of mobile game canon thanks to high-quality graphics and exciting gameplay. Their games are downloaded over 250,000 every day.
Star Trek is one of the touchstones of geek culture that everyone has some basic understanding of. In all likelihood you’ve probably heard about the amorous adventures of Captain Kirk, the logical Mr Spock, and the proudly Scottish ‘Scotty’. I have not watched the series religiously like some of my colleagues have, but I was certainly impressed with what I have seen. Among the spin-off films, The Wrath of Khan is considered to be a classic and has been referenced in from everything The Simpsons to Seinfeld. With this in mind, I beamed down to the In the House screening at George St cinemas and settled in to take tricorder readings.
Jason ‘Jabba’ Davis and David ‘Quinny’ Quinn returned as the MCs for this evening’s screenings and boy did things get crazy fast. As per usual, the two MCs ran a game of ‘heads and tails’ with the audience with DVDs for prizes as well as reading out competition entries to hand out more prizes. At one point, a young child was given a microphone and got tongue-tied at the prospect of explaining why he was a fan of Star Trek. With the true spirit of a veteran MC, however, the child turned the tables and asked the question to Jabba who admitted he was more of a Star Wars fan (Boo!). Before he could ask anymore (damning) questions, the kid was given a round of applause by the audience and a Kung-fu Panda doll from the In the House organisers as he returned to his seat.
Jabba and Quinny then got into some of the nitty-gritty of the film’s trivia. One interesting aspect I wasn’t aware was that Khan was chosen to be a focused antagonist for the film, to make up for the perceived lack of one in the first Star Trek film. Apparently this decision may have borne fruit as the film went on to be a resounding success… or it might be the result of the fact that this was an ‘even’ numbered Star Trek film instalment and therefore avoided the malevolent influence of the ‘Star Trek curse’.
Story
The film draws from the Space Seed episode of the original Star Trek series and I’ll give a brief overview. A genetic superhuman, Khan, is rescued by Kirk from a derelict vessel and promptly attempts to steal the Enterprise. It is revealed that Khan is an infamous individual from Earth’s history who fought as an egomaniacal warlord bent on global conquest during the ‘Eugenic Wars’. Kirk foils his plot and maroons him and his fellow superhumans on a harsh but habitable planet. Kirk reasons that Khan might pursue conquest of nature instead of civilisation so that his talents and ambition are not simply wasted. Although it is not necessary to have seen the episode in question, you are certainly missing out on the full experience of the film if you haven’t at least got some understanding of the original Star Trek series.
The film proper starts off 15 years after the events of Space Seed. We see most of the characters from the original series working as instructors at Starfleet’s academy, teaching new officers the ins and outs of being a space ship captain. Unfortunately for James Kirk (William Shatner), this life does not sit well with him and he chafes to get out into exploring the far reaches of space. Despite the best efforts of his friend, Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Kirk finds himself regretting his decision to accept a promotion to admiral and leave behind active duty. He gets his chance to return aboard the Enterprise, his old berth, when Spock (Leonard Nimoy) invites him aboard to do an inspection of the new trainee crew.
But things aren’t all coming up well for the old crew of the Enterprise as Pavel Chekhov (Walter Koenig) on a supposedly lifeless planet to find a test site for a prototype terraforming device. There, they encounter superhumans led by Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardio Montalbán). In the 15 years since Khan was marooned on the planet, it has become barren and lifeless following a cataclysmic celestial event. Khan takes Chekhov hostage and plots to use the terraforming device as a weapon to take revenge upon Kirk and the Federation. This sets the stage for a grand battle of wits between the two men as they attempt to outsmart each other in the deadly cat and mouse of space combat.
The plot is well paced throughout with a strong narrative arc as we see the action unfold. The characters are well shaped and believable in their motivations and actions while being true to their established personas from the original series. With Shatner, we get Kirk’s strong feeling of wanderlust coupled with his almost childlike joy at being back aboard the Enterprise and being on an adventure as well as his subsequent tenacity when he encounters Khan. Kelley as McCoy is as hilarious as ever with some of the best quips and sarcasm that actually made me laugh out loud. Nimoy plays Spock with the verbal deadpan and emotional stoicism expected of a Vulkan. The entire ensemble cast do a good turn throughout but there is one exception which stands out…
There is one performance that absolutely steals the limelight and it is Khan. Montalbán is an absolutely superb throughout this and it’s no wonder this film is a cult classic considering. I don’t believe that there was a scene he didn’t steal through his sheer stage presence and charisma (helped in no small part due to his costume revealing his excellent physique). He brings out the full melodramatic potential of the Khan’s character by investing arrogance and menace into each and every line. His competence in the plot makes him a credible threat to Kirk and the Enterprise while also giving legitimacy to his own hubris.
Visuals
The costume design was similarly quite distinctive. The uniforms for the Starfleet characters are certainly in keeping with the style of uniform in the show with the new alterations defining the higher stations of the main cast. There is a distinct nautical influence upon the design of these costumes as well which adds something new to the overall aesthetic of the film. The costume choices for Khan are the real stand out in this department as, by the nine divines, they are instantly iconic. The design is an interesting take on scavenger chic that isn’t simply the hard leather of Mad Max’s post-apocalypse. The costume works to give a sense of the deprivation he’s been through and create a contrast to his otherwise highly regal manner… alongside obviously highlighting aspects of Montalban’s incredibly toned physique.
The visual effects have not aged all that badly and I feel that they largely hold up. I feel that this is in large part due to the use of physical models and practical effects. By having a real physical object that the camera could record, sequences like the space battles gain a sense of physical perspective to them which could have been missed if CGI had been used. Speaking of which; the computer generated imagery has not aged as well as the rest of the movie and looks on par with the graphics of an early 90s video game. This isn’t surprising as the film is from the 80s and these effects would have no-doubt been groundbreaking for the time, but a modern audience might not be too impressed. That being said; it didn’t break my immersion of the film and I found it to be somewhat charming, so I doubt that this aspect of the visuals would be ruin the film for anyone who has consumed films or games from outside of this century.
Audio
The orchestral soundtrack throughout is strongly reminiscent of the original television series but with some interesting new elements. James Horner, the composer, uses this composition of familiar and new elements to solid effect throughout the film. The music compliments the narrative action and reinforces the emotional value of any scene or shot. Although no specific track stuck out to me, my companion for the screening did enjoy the accompanying track to the Enterprise leaving space dock. Having listened to that track again, it certainly has an uplifting appeal to it with a restrained climax suitable for Star Trek.
Overall
Overall, I very much enjoyed this film and was happy to see it up on the big screen. The story is strong and features an amazing villain who has some unforgettable lines and moments. The practical effects have largely held up against the passage of time but the CGI is obviously dated. The score is solid with a combination of the music from the original series with new elements mixed. Thanks to some standout moments and performances, this film cements itself as one of the classics of science fiction. I would not have trouble recommending this film to anyone who has even the remotest interest in watching. Kudos to In the House for ending their season with a resounding bang!
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