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Discover Jules Verne’s Return to Mysterious Island 2

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Microids continue to add to their already large adventure game catalogue with the announcement that Jules Verne’s Return to Mysterious Island 2 is out now for the iPhone and iPad. In this new adventure players head back (reluctantly) to Mysterious Island as Mina, the heroine from the first game,  after her helicopter crash lands onto the island and then sinks. Return to Msyeterious Island 2 will feature a full 3D world with 360 degrees of exploration and a playable monkey named Jet, who users will need to switch to occasionally to solve puzzles and find objects. As the game progresses you will need to rely more and more on teamwork between you and your monkey partner, who possesses some special traits like the ability to charm wildlife into giving the pair food.

The game also features an inventory where players can combine items to form equipment such as fishing rods and gyroscope functionality to help immerse themselves in the world of the Mysterious Island. Jules Verne’s Return to Mysterious Island 2 is now available free from the App Store on both iPhone and iPad and comes with English, French, German, Italian and Spanish language options. You can check out screenshots of the game below.

Dead Island: Epidemic Now Taking Closed Beta Applications

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Deep Silver has announced that their ZOMBA (Zombie Online Multiplayer Battle Arena), Dead Island: Epidemic, is now accepting registrations for the Closed Beta.

Epidemic will pit three teams of players against one another in an epic fight for survival. Signing up for the closed beta will pay off. All newly registered players will be able to join the 30,000 Alpha testers even before the official Closed Beta starts. They’ll also receive exclusive in-game items and rewards to keep afterward.

Epidemic will be a free-to-play game. Players interested can head over to their official website and sign up. Be sure to check out the gallery of images for the game below as well!

Stardock’s “Dead Man’s Draw” Now Available For The PC

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This one goes out to all you card game and puzzle lovers! So listen up lest you be willing to walk the plank! Stardock is extremely excited to announce that its hit iOS game “Dead Man’s Draw” (read the review here) has now been released on the PC through Steam. Originally only on iOS devices, “Dead Man’s Draw” has players take part in an odd yet traditional-like card game that revolves a great deal around how lucky you are, though…a little smarts does come in handy now and again.The game got some incredible ratings when it first got released through the app store and that allowed the developers to think a bit more about expanding, this is what lead to its release through Steam.

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It will be sold for $9.99 but that is not to say its free alternative on the mobile is a better choice considering the PC version will have absolutely NO in-game purchases which is something the mobile version does have. “Dead Man’s Draw” on the PC will have everything the iOS version had yet with so much more; all-new card abilities as well as player traits and more than 20 extra tournaments. It’s not just gameplay that gets a big change, no, it’s also the layout and aesthetics of the game that will make it much more accessible for PC players.

Things like a higher-resolution as well as a PC-friendly interface have been implemented to make it a game that is different from its iOS predecessor yet keeps it more or less the same. Why fix what isn’t broken right? If you’re interested; we have the trailer for the game below in our featured video section and you can actually purchase the game on Steam by heading to its official page here. It’s time to set sail you scurvy dogs!

Double Dragon: Neon Now Available On Steam

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The recently found indie developers from Majesco Entertainment Company, Midnight City, has just released Double Dragon: Neonwhich is now available for PC on Steam. The game is currently listed at £6.99/€8.99.

The title’s success and popularity on the console version eased the transition from the console to the PC versions. Steam is fully integrated into this new version with online cooperative play. This reboot of the classic side-scroller features to two brothers, Billy and Jimmy Lee, and their quest to rescue Marian from the Shadow Warriors gang and their leader, Skullmageddon.

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Fans will be able to expect the classic Double Dragon action. Between the kicking, the punching, and more thugs than you can count, PC players can now bask in the awesomeness that is Double Dragon: Neon. In addition to the already popular mechanics known, players will have an additional button for evades. Evading attacks can boost your offensive strengths, in addition to other features.

You can find the Steam page here. You can also get the full soundtrack at this site for free, or for a donation through the composer, Jake Kauffman’s site. As an added bonus, we actually have a review of Double Dragon: Neon on the Xbox 360.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Dated for February 22nd

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The latest Donkey Kong game is set to rock Wii U on February 22nd, 2014. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will star Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, and Cranky Kong is a wild adventure to thaw out the tropical paradise Team Donkey Kong calls home. The Snowmads have taken over the islands and are responsible for the sudden deep freeze. Players will battle through six different islands to reclaim the islands and send the Snowmads packing. The game will be the first in the series to use the new Kong POW ability that will clear the screen of enemies and leave items in its wake.

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Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will be available in Australia on February 22nd, 2014 at retail stores and on the Nintendo eShop.

Surprise Attack Games Announces Vertiginous Golf

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Today, Surprise Attack Games announced that their dystopian steampunk golf game, Vertiginous Golf, is now available on their official site for purchase!

In a futuristic, alternate world, life on the ground is less than stellar. The air is constantly overpowered by smog, it’s always raining, and there’s no sunlight. So instead of living in such poor conditions, the upperclass decided to create a technology called the “Vertiginous Levitation System”, which transported everything they owned and everyone who could afford it into the sky, aptly named “Vertiginousphere”. Class differences didn’t allow the lower class to access this new sphere of living, so a remote connection device allowed the less fortunate to experience this world virtually. But once you see what’s up there, it’s hard to come back to reality.

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The current build released on their site will feature fifteen unique, challenging courses, four-player local multiplayer, limited gamepad support and a cute mechanical hummingbird to pilot around the course to plot your strategy. Discover more about what makes the Vertiginousphere so unique and what’s really going on. You’ll also be able to create your own courses and share them with the community, though that’ll only be available when the full launch version is up.

The current version is available now for $10 on their official site, though it doesn’t include all the features. Steam‘s Early Access will be available in March of 2014, and the full build is planned for Q3 of 2014. While the current build and the Early Access version on Steam is only available for PC users, the full build will be open for PC, Linux, and Mac users. Check out their site here for more information.

 

Magus Now Available for Pre-Order

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Who is Magus?

Aksys Games has announced that their upcoming PS3 title Magus, co-developed by Black Tower Studios, is set to release on February 25th in North America and is now available for pre-order.

Magus has been imprisoned and tortured for years until one day a mysterious woman named Kinna helps him break free. Telling him that he is a god, she convinces him to embark on a perilous journey to fulfill his destiny and use his unique skills to defeat his enemies. But with two powerful kingdoms vying to control the land and their eyes set on Magus’ powers, how will he overcome the odds to become the god he was meant to be?

Aksys have also shared some more details regarding the man that is Magus, noting the abilities that will aid him on his quest for a better social standing. His base powers are known as Chromatic Arcana and are divided into blue, red and green magics. Each colour will allow Magus to utilise a different spell, such as raising the dead or launching fireballs. Each of these abilities accrue strength as MAgus defeats more enemies, allowing players to quickly master one colour, or divide their time and master all three. With a difficulty setting that can increase in real time, it’d probably be a good idea to learn the pros and cons of each colour of magic. I’m sure you’ll need them all.

So with a release date fast approaching it might be wise to jump the queue and pre-order Magus. Visit the official site and take the initiative. While you decide, check out the screenshots below and prepare to undergo a quest to become more than you ever were. He just can’t wait to be a god.

New Sonic Boom Franchise Game Revealed

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Ever since the announcement of Sonic Lost World we have known that a third Sonic game would be making its way to the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and today that game was officially unveiled. Sonic Boom could mark one of the biggest franchise shake ups in Sonics history, incorporating character redesigns and core changes in game play from what we have seen ever since Sonic made the move to the third dimension. Sega is touting Sonic Boom as a new ‘branch’ in the Sonic franchise, so fans of the old designs need not worry that this will be the only direction Sonic will be heading in the future.

Interestingly, the game will serve as a prequel to the new CGI TV series (also titled Sonic Boom) and will have a core focus on collaborative gameplay. The game is being developed by Big Red Button Entertainment on the Wii U (founded by former Naughty Dog employees) while the 3DS version is being developed by Sanzaru Games in collaboration with Sonic Team (although it is not clear if Sonic Team is working on both versions or only the 3DS version).  Sonic Boom will take advantage of the hardware of both the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS and will feature traditional elements of past Sonic games such as speed as well as new elements such as exploration, combat and a new Enerbeam tether mechanic that will allow the Sonic Boom world to be discovered in totally unique ways.

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The Sonic Boom video game is only one part of this new franchise puzzle, with the television show, toys and other merchandise products such as health care and food also being part of the equation. Sega plans for all these parts of Sonic Boom to intertwine with eachother, with the game and show featuring linked narratives and world references. For full details on all things Sonic Boom, head to the SEGA Blog official site.

It definitely sounds interesting and could be a great way to bring innovation to the Sonic name after a sleight of similar titles. You can check out the games announcement trailer below and once you have done that, let us know in the comments what you think about the new direction the franchise is taking. I am willing to bet there are some pretty strong opinions out there from the hardcore Sonic fans.

ICEBERG INTERACTIVE REACHES ITS GALACTIC DESTINY WITH HORIZON, AVAILABLE NOW ON STEAM

ICEBERG INTERACTIVE REACHES ITS GALACTIC DESTINY WITH HORIZON, AVAILABLE NOW ON STEAM

L3O Interactive’s 100+ Star Systems, Dual Play Modes, and Community-Driven Features Highlight Title Debut

Haarlem, The Netherlands – February 6, 2014 – Renowned for its string of successful 4X games, including the award-winning Endless Space, veteran indie publisher Iceberg Interactive revealed today that its 4X space-strategy game Horizon is available now on Steam and for European retail. Developed by newcomer Canadian studio, L3O Interactive, Horizon is all about galactic exploration and conquest whereby players control Humanity’s destiny

L3O Interactive’s deep 4X strategy game stands out from the crowd with a unique storyline based on mankind’s expansion beyond its own solar system, and immediate confrontation with two powerful and ancient races, bent on shaping the future. With a strong community connection, L3O Interactive also has shaped Horizon to its fans’ liking, highlighted by the introduction of playable Alien Races, as well as a string of in-game random events voted on by the community.

“We could not be happier with the way Horizon has turned out, and we are excited to start 2014 with another compelling 4X space strategy game for our loyal but demanding fans,” said Iceberg Interactive CEO Erik Schreuder. “The L3O Interactive team has been diligent about listening to the Horizon community and implementing changes and upgrades to the game that they have requested, and we look forward to seeing what players think about the finished product.”

Offering immense customization options including races, ships, and space stations; real-time management of multiple tech research branches and simultaneous turn-based battles, and two distinct play modes, Horizon is a fresh take on the rich 4X genre.

Gamers will venture into deep space, expand into new frontiers and discover alien artifacts on long-abandoned planets, while negotiating, fighting in deep ship-to-ship combat or partnering with alien species, as they carve their intergalactic destinies. They will develop new colonies – and then watch them become galactic centers for trade, industry and science – as well as military bases, outposts and shipyards on their way to conquer new horizons.

Horizon Features Include:

  • A deep, accessible 4X space-strategy game that delivers advanced turn-based tactical combat, rich customization, and a vast set of galaxies to explore
  • Huge, gripping storyline provides players a chance to interact with 10 alien races and explore ancient cultures, artifacts, and galaxies while engaging in open-ended missions. Gamers can engage in meaningful diplomacy choices that will impact the game outcome, including coordinated actions with allies against enemies
  • Distinct open-world system spans multiple galaxies with hundreds of star systems and more than 1,000 planets
  • Two Gameplay Modes: Scenario Mode – offers a story experience focused on the clash of two ancient races, and Classic Mode – the familiar open-ended sandbox experience 4X gamers have grown to love
  • Up to 80 tech types with 10 upgrades each, gamers can customize ships, weapons, and combat systems
  • Tactical ship control includes managing movement, weapons, and more, as well as attacks from planetary and orbital defenses and boarding enemy ships
  • Design and customize three major areas of your ships: 1. Weapons, 2. Core Systems (armor, sensors, engines, power, generator, etc.), 3. Special Systems (colonizer pods, shields, fighter bays, etc.)
  • Detailed economy and colony management system that offers different types of colonies based on player build choices

Check out Horizon today on Steam (store.steampowered.com/app/236130) for $26.99 (includes current 10% launch discount).

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ABOUT L3O INTERACTIVE

L3O Interactive is an independent Canadian video game developer located in Toronto, Ontario. L3O was founded on the principle to make classic hardcore games with innovative and more immersive gameplay elements. The studio is currently focused on completing its first commercial project Horizon, a grand space 4X game that strives to bring a new experience to strategy and sci-fi gamers!

ABOUT ICEBERG INTERACTIVE

Iceberg Interactive is an independent video game publisher founded in 2009 by an international group of games industry veterans and is located in Haarlem, The Netherlands. While keeping its roots in the European retail games market, Iceberg has rapidly increased its focus towards the global digital games market, by building strong direct relationships with dozens of Game Portals. Staffed with avid gamers, Iceberg works closely with an international assembly of game developers, both midsize and indie. With a distinct focus on the strategy, action, simulation and adventure game genres, the company has garnered attention with acclaimed releases including Killing Floor, Wings of Prey, APB Reloaded and Endless Space among its 70+ game arsenal – with more promising games in the pipeline.

 

Stardock’s Hit Mobile Game, Dead Man’s Draw, Now Available On PC

Stardock’s Hit Mobile Game, Dead Man’s Draw, Now Available On PC

Critically Acclaimed iOS Card Game Blasts Risk vs. Reward Gameplay onto PCs


PLYMOUTH, MI. – Feb. 6, 2014 – Stardock released its lauded press-your-luck card game, Dead Man’s Draw, on PC today for $9.99 on Steam (http://store.steampowered.com/app/262450/). The PC version contains all of the content from the iOS original, plus all-new card abilities and player traits with more than 20 extra tournaments added since the game’s October launch. Additionally, no in-app purchases or additional transactions of any kind are present in Dead Man’s Draw on PC.

Drawing from the best elements of puzzle, strategy, and classic card games, Dead Man’s Draw is an entirely new take on the card game genre. Swords steal, maps uncover, and cannons blast – but draw two of the same suit and you’ll lose it all.

Dead Man’s Draw boasts an average 4.5-star rating on iTunes from more than 600 user reviews and has been praised by critics from QuarterToThree.com, 148apps.com, PocketTactics.com, and more.

Dead Man’s Draw has been optimized for the PC platform from its iOS roots with higher-resolution hand-crafted art, a PC-specific interface, and the removal of all in-app purchasing. In addition, the Mermaid suit has a new game-changing power that allows players to re-play a card from their hand – resulting in even bigger, more devastating combos from skilled players.

Dead Man’s Draw features deep and engaging gameplay where players can discover the best power-ups to counter opponents and overcome special rules that turn traditional card-game action on its head. Combo your card’s abilities to steal from your opponent, test your luck in the draw to obtain powerful treasure, or mount an offense that will gain you ultimate victory.

To learn more about Dead Man’s Draw, visit www.deadmansdrawgame.com.

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About Stardock
Stardock is a leading developer and publisher of PC games and desktop software. Its PC games include Sins of a Solar Empire and the critically acclaimed Galactic Civilizations series. Its desktop software includes Start8, Fences, WindowBlinds, ModernMix, and more. Visit www.stardock.com for more.