Homefront, a game from THQ, has been confirmed to have a release date of March 8, 2011 in the USA, March 11 in the UK & Europe, and March 10 for Australia. Homefront tells the story of 15 years of econmic deprivation and natural resource famine in the United States of America. Not only has the USA been hobbled by a broken infrastructure and military, but the Greater Korean Republic has also attacked with an EMP. You are commissioned to take a last stand as a revolutionary soldier. In a story written by John Milius, Homefront is said to be a gripping emotional tale of what will happen in 2027. Right after we rebuild from Armageddon.
Great news peeps! Gaijin Entertainment, (also the developer of Modern Conflict, one of the best-selling games on the App Store) is going to bring a brand new action RPG for the Apple portable devices. The name is “Braveheart”, and I can assure you it is certainly not what you think it is. (Not thisBraveheart, Mel Gibson is not spotted anywhere in the screenshots).
You, as the brave knight with the name Richard, will be rewarded with half of the kingdom and the king’s beautiful daughter if only you succeed in finding the elusive Holy Grail. It is an ancient chalice that has been protected for centuries by the most powerful creature – a massive dragon. Of course, it’s not going to be easy, or else the game would end in… perhaps 15 minutes?
Looking at its screenshots, it certainly have some very polished graphical presentation and interesting gameplay. Nothing much is known about the game yet, but Gaijin is set to get its first self-published game out on the App Store by the end of this year, hopefully before Christmas. We will keep you updated. Till then, check out some of its key features and in-game footage below!
Key Features
Heart-pounding action with plenty of enemies to kill
Engaging fantasy storyline
10 different weapons to use in battle
Magical spells that can be conjured during combat
Bonuses that provide special powers and abilities
Unique boss battles—kill or be killed!
A beautiful game world with numerous locations to visit
The first gameplay footage of the latest Need For Speed running on Wii has arrived, providing a nice long look at the game with gameplay trailer of an entire race.
As you can see Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is a lot prettier on other systems like Xbox 360 -that’s a given- but Need for Speed Nitro on Wii recieved some positive reviews, so who’s to say its limitations will detract from the gameplay.
So, is anyone thinking of picking this up in favour of the visually superior Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions? Perhaps you prefer the aspects of motion control on the Wii version. Either way, let us know if you do decide to pick it up, whatever the console, and feel free to voice your thoughts on the game.
You may be forgiven, for never having heard or played All Points Bulletin, the seminal Saints Row style MMO from the good people who bought you such gems as Crackdown. The news that it has been picked up by Free-to-play MMO developers GamersFirst is bitter sweet for Realtime Worlds who spent a lot of time and energy making the game before filing for bankruptcy and letting go of up to 200 staff.
After developing Crackdown, Realtime Worlds rose to be Scotlands largest video game developers and so surely that great things would follow with A.P.B. This was not to be with poor sales and unbalanced gameplay. Selling their IP to GamersFirst for roughly US$2 million will in no way fix the company, but will at least provide compensation for those let go.
“APB was a game that had several exceptional features and some brilliant ideas, even though it was plagued by some initial balance and monetization issues,” Bjorn Book-Larsson, CTO and COO of GamersFirst, said in a statement. “We want to take all the unique features of this title, such as its unparalleled character, weapon and car customization systems, and convert the game to a true free-to-play game.”
“We are deep into the planning and early execution stages for this next chapter of APB and we will share more details in the near future,” Book-Larsson continued. “In order to put gamers first we will also actively engage the community in many aspects of all the planned changes.”
Rumors of the acquisition surfaced last week, and GamesIndustry.biz reported that it went down for roughly $2 million. GamersFirst didn’t disclose the financial details, but it did confirm “the game will be overhauled and republished online as ABP: Reloaded” GamersFirst added that APB: Reloaded should be ready for its relaunch sometime during the first half of 2011.
I for one missed the boat the first time around earlier this year, and it is good to see that good ideas are gone, but not forgotten (just look at what happened to Duke Nukem!) hopefully this acquisition gives the MMO a new lease on life as essentially a multiplaying-only model with a big city free raoming twist.
Well, unless you have been living under the preverbial rock for the last few months, news no doubt would have surfaced that Bioware is already well into making the sequal to last years phenomenal Dragon Age – Dragon Age II . The latest trailer to hit the XBOX Live market place and interwebs is entitled “Rise to Power” and can be seen in all it’s glory below.
Above that is the initial CG footage intro to what is now one of the most hotly anticipated game of 2011. See the hero of Kirkwall rise to power in this extended cut, that not only features new locations but also a new AI partner/love interest.
Forget about the Zombrex! You can now take the tunes of Dead Rising 2 with you anywhere as the soundtrack for the game is now available. The soundtrack brings a whopping 85 tunes straight from the game and is only priced at 15.98 for the physical or digital format. So which tunes are on this CD? Here is a track listing of what to expect…:
1 Kill The Sound
2 Terror Is Reality
3 Diva Comeback Amore
4 Mercenaries
5 Militiamen Rooftop
6 TK Overtime
7 Slappy
8 The Twins
9 TIR Intro
10 TIR Action Cue 3
11 Sullivan
12 TK Helicopter
13 Chuck Everyday Man
14 Dead Rising II
15 Case Zero
16 Getaway Plan
17 Ambulance
18 Chuck Fixin’ Time
19 TK Train
20 Queen Wasps
21 The Facts
22 Enter The Sewers
23 Hangman Howdy
24 Hangman Death
25 Looters
26 Chef Antoine
27 Postman
28 Night Zombies
29 TK Returns
30 Sex Deviant
31 The Getaway
32 Katey Turns
33 Magicians Trick
34 Ted’s Death
35 Escaping Town
36 No Hiding Place
37 Chuck Alone
38 RIP Katey
39 Fortune’s Delight
40 Velvet
41 Fortune’s Embers
42 The Grand
43 Fortune’s Memory Lane
44 Fortune’s Delicacy
45 Fortune’s Bella
46 VIP Lounge
47 Super Shopper
48 Mall Mavin
49 Mechanical Bull
50 Lonesome Cowboy
51 Peep Show
52 Rosie’s Diner
53 Tiki Bar
54 Rojo Diablo
55 Cheesecake Mania
56 Wild West Grill
57 Cucinna Italianna
58 Viva Fortunato
59 Lombardi’s Candy Shop
60 Bratwurst Polka
61 Speedy Expresso
62 Americana 1
63 Americana 2
64 Hamburger Fiefdom
65 High Stakes Poker
66 Money Grab
67 Wonderland
68 Bennie Jack’s
69 Magicians Muse
70 Action Cinema
71 Comedy Cinema
72 Drama Cinema
73 Horror Cinema
74 PubOGold
75 Yucatan
76 Fortune Park Militiamen
77 Atlantica
78 TK’s TIR
79 TIR Action Cue 1
80 The Twins
81 Bonus: The Shoal Nightclub
82 Bonus: Kill The Sound (String Version)
83 Plight Of The Zombies Finale
84 Chuck the Gambler
85 BONUS – Kill The Sound (In Game Mix)
That is a fantastic listing and a steal for the price. Just remember that if you are listening to it in your car, do not mow down crowds of people out of excitement. You can go to the official page over at Sumthing Distribution to purchase the soundtrack now by clicking HERE.
A while back we brought you news for the upcoming sequel in the Dirt franchise from Codemasters, Dirt 3. The developers have recently posted the first in what appears to be a series of diaries explaining what went into the making of the racing game and based on the video, the team working on the project when above and beyond to make sure that all the aspiring rally racers out there would have the most realistic experience to date in Dirt 3.
The team gets behind the wheel themselves to get the feel for the Rally mode, as well as explain some of the environments to expect in the sequel. So without me babbling on anymore about what is in the diary, you can check it out yourself below. Dirt 3 is looking at a spring release for next year and check back for even more updates as the date approaches.
Did you forget? You did, didn’t you? The Xbox 360 exclusive game, Crackdown 2 has released the Premium Deluge Pack. It includes a coop (shocker!) Deluge mode where you must defend against growing waves of Pacific City henchmen. Singleplayer and four player Live play are available. Plus, new achievements, avatar awards, and sixteen-player Capture the Orb mode with 6 arenas. Get the link to add the DLC to your Xbox download queue for 560 Microsoft points right here.
Sumo Digital is releasing the critically acclaimed and explosively awesome racing game on the PSP system. You can download the demo off the Playstation Store already. Split/Second on the PSP will feature a built from the ground control scheme and “spectacular” graphics. There will also be four new challenge modes. According to the PS Blog, the criteria for building these modes was this: (1) blow things up; (2) race really fast; (3) use the environment to your advantage; (4) combine 1 to 3 while trying to get the highest score! Sounds good to me. Split/Second on PSP will also include an original track that combines previous Docks tracks and makes a unique track that is apparently reaaaallly long. Watch the trailer here.
Game: SingStar Dance
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: SCE London Studio
Genre: Dancing, Party, Karaoke
Platform: PS3
Release: Out Now!
Price: £19.99
You’ve played one SingStar, you’ve played them all… right?
Wrong! Take one hugely successful singing game franchise, integrate a new dance feature which utilities the Playstation Move controller and you have one incredibly fun combination which is sure to be a hit this coming holiday season.
As continued big hitter for Sony, SingStar has had something of an across the board VIP revamping which sees SingStar Dance following the recently released SingStar Guitar onto store shelves. SingStar Guitar, which supplemented singing action with guitar-based game-play was reviewed here.
Should you be an early adopter of the Playstation Move controller the first time you load the game up you will be welcomed to an initial setup process for the game. This ensures the correct calibration of the Move controller to your personal surroundings. Once this quick and easy setup is complete you should be all set to tackle the 30 track line-up and dance the night, or afternoon, away!
Those familiar with the series should feel right at home using the tried and tested interface that has served previous instalments so well with the only difference being the addition of an on-screen dancer whose moves you must mimic with the Move controller. This handy feature displays choreography and timing guidelines that fit extremely well for the song you have chosen to dance and/or sing along with. It should be noted at this point that despite being a well developed aspect of the new game (and part of the title) the dancing is completely optional and SingStar Dance can just as easily be enjoyed without having to shake your thang!
Gameplay
Rather than have players hold a Move controller and microphone at once the game instead allows players to share the singing and dancing duties as a multiplayer experience. You can have up to two singers and two dancers during each track (make sure your play area is big enough for this) with the screen dividing into two to accommodate the different modes. Vocal tracks take position on one side with one track above the other for two singers with the the dancers section taking the up the other side. There is an option to play online too but only with friends on your friends list.
Using Move controllers dancers attempt to mimic the onscreen performer, a task which should be fairly easy for most to pick up. Even players with two left feet should pick up the routines with a little repetition and who knows, SingStar Dance might see a whole generation of disco wallflowers becoming dance floor pros in no time at all!
In single player mode you can sing solo and dance alone but trying to do both is something of a logistical nightmare and confusing in the extreme. Little wonder then that many of today’s popstars prefer to mime instead of performing fully live! Personally I would have loved to have a headset style microphone that would not only make you look the real deal but would also free up your hands for throwing shapes! I honestly believe either using this kind of hands free microphone or even the mic on on the Playstation Eye camera (required anyway for Move) would have made the game much more fun as well as a great deal less limiting as trying to dance and sing with the Playstation Move controller in one hand and the SingStar mic in the other is best left to all but the most flexible and ambidextrous of individuals.
Selecting which of the 30 track song line up you wish to bust a move to in the dance mode is made simple using the Move controller for navigation. The aim of this mode is to follow the on-screen dancer as they demonstrate the carefully choreographed dancing moves. You earn points by dancing at the right time and in the correct position and the more accurate your movement the higher the score accrued – it’s really as simple as that.
As with past SingStar titles you have the option to watch the original music video of any chosen track or even watch a live feed of you from the Playstation Eye camera as you perform – great fun if you have mates over! The PlayStation Eye also allows takes random snapshots during play which can then be viewed at the end of each performance. These snapshots can then be edited, saved and, should you feel brave enough, uploaded to your MySingStar and Facebook profile to share to the world!
If there is a negative with this mode it’s that other top tier dance games on the market tend to show you the upcoming step to create smooth transitions during play whereas Singstar Dance requires you to watch the onscreen dancer and then mimic the move pretty much after it has happened. This becomes less of an issue after multiple playthroughs due to the repetition required but it does take the fun out the game a little. In addition I also found that the Move detection was occasionally off the mark and believe this may have been overcome if the game supported the use of two Move controllers. This would definitely help players pull off some of the tougher moves in the harder difficulty levels.
In terms of unlockable features and in-game career progression Singstar Dance does not really open up anything new as the game continues. Instead the game is aimed squarely at having a a good time from the get go with it’s bright and breezy approach.
With a good tracklist out of the box and a great back catalogue of songs available for download via the SingStore on the Playstation Network there is plenty to keep players occupied. The only downside is that downloadable tracks available at the time of writing are not ‘dance enabled’ although I am informed that Sony are actively looking into this.
Overall
I feel Sony hit all the right notes with this crowd pleaser of a game and with Christmas just around the corner it’s nice to see a high quality karaoke/party game on the shelves and at a great price-point too. With a strong tracklisting and the ability to use any previously purchased songs in the new game there is plenty to enjoy. Hopefully Sony will consider incorporating a second move controller for accuracy of movement and a hands free mic for those that want to sing and dance in the not too distant future.
So whether you are looking for a game that will give you a good workout both physically and vocally or simply something to have fun with or even get you fit after Christmas this game is more than worth the effort and surely a better alternative than the latest z-list ‘celebrity’ workout video. It’s a combo package that’s definitely worth making a song and dance about!
Tracklist
The Tracklist for SingStar Dance is right up my street and features a great range of pop, dance and R&B tunes from a variety of eras. From Gloria Gaynor’s “I will Survive” to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” this SingStar will surely have everyone rockin’ around the Christmas tree this year.
1. N Sync – Bye Bye Bye
2. Black Eyed Peas – Shut Up
3. Blondie – Heart Of Glass
4. Chris Brown – With You
5. Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
6. Diana Ross and The Supremes – Baby Love
7. Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
8. Gossip – Standing In The Way Of Control
9. Gwen Stefani – What You Waiting For?
10. Jamiroquai – Cosmic Girl
11. KC & The Sunshine Band – That’s The Way (I Like It)
12. Kid Cudi vs Crookers – Day ‘N’ Nite
13. Kool And The Gang – Celebration
14. La Roux – Bulletproof
15. Lady Gaga – Poker Face
16. MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This
17. New Kids On The Block – Hangin Tough
18. Outkast – Hey Ya!
19. Paula Abdul – Straight Up
20. Pitbull – I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)
21. Reel 2 Real feat. The Mad Stuntman – I Like To Move It
22. Ricky Martin – Living La Vida Loca
23. Run DMC vs Jason Nevins – It’s Like That
24. Salt N Pepa – Push It
25. Shaggy – Boombastic
26. Sir Mix A Lot – Baby Got Back
27. Soulja Boy – Crank That
28. The Backstreet Boys – Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)
29. The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back
30. The Pussycat Dolls – Don’t Cha
