Project Aftermath’s Colonel Jack Morgan, Facebooks and Tweets
Games Faction has an out-of-town guest, Colonel Jack Morgan. As a high-ranking member of the Morphid Army, Colonel Jack has a pretty strange view of life on Earth, and has been documenting his stay since his ship crash landed. Fascinated by our basic yet powerful communication media, Jack has set up a Blog plus Facebook and Twitter profiles. Whilst here he hopes to communicate with earthlings and enlist new recruits into the ‘Glorious Morphid Army’.
Competition
To celebrate Jack’s stay, Games Faction are running a competition to win free copies of Project Aftermath. Those who become a friend of Jack on Facebook will automatically be entered into a draw on Tuesday 14th April 2009.
Creative Director, Malcolm Reed says “This is a little different for us, we hope people will converse with Jack and ask his opinion on pressing matters. It’ll be a lot of fun and we’re looking forward to entertaining the community with Jack’s ramblings!”
Links
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/people/ColonelJack-Morgan/1167685184
Twitter profile http://twitter.com/ColJackMorgan
Jack’s Blog http://blog.gamesfaction.com/tag/jacks-blog/
Jack’s Videos http://www.youtube.com/user/ColonelJackMorgan
Jack’s Photo Album http://twitpic.com/photos/ColJackMorgan
For those who haven’t played Project Aftermath, a free demo is available at http://www.gamesfaction.com/project-aftermath or via Steam or Stardock.
Matrix Games and Tri Synergy to Publish Officers
Tri Synergy and Matrix Games team up to bring gamers massive real time WWII battles!
Matrix Games, Tri Synergy, and GFI are thrilled to announce that Matrix Games will be bringing the World War II real time strategy game Officers to its digital download store & that Tri Synergy will be handling Officers retail distribution!
David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said “Officers does a great job of bringing gamers exciting World War II action on an epic scale. There’s nothing quite as visually spectacular as watching dozens of tanks and infantry units clash on a destructible battlefield in all-out combat!”
Defeat the Axis Menace!
Officers puts you in command of the Allied force in the largest conflict of our time. Take control of the US and British armies in order to strike back and defeat the Axis menace on the Western front of Europe. With over 1500 units on maps up to 10 square miles, Officers is the first WWII real time strategy game to let you fight on a truly massive scale. Historical battles like Operation Overlord, Millennium, and Cobra will put your tactical skills to the test using combined forces from infantry and engineers to tanks, artillery and bombers.
Blazing speed and blunt force will only secure victory if you extend your supply lines and capture enemy weaponry and warehouses. Take the high ground and use terrain to your advantage with fully realistic physics and ballistics – only sound tactical maneuver will keep your men alive!
Features include:
- Lead the Allied forces across gigantic battlegrounds up to 10 square miles
- Control over 50 authentic infantry, armor, artillery and aircraft units
- Experience the most massive battles of World War II with up to 1500 units at once
- Use real tactics with terrain and combined forces with authentic vehicle and infantry characteristics
- Destroy nearly anything, anywhere with advanced physics and a fully interactive environment
- Keep your supply lines guarded and capture enemy resources and weapons
Officers will also be available via Tri Synergy at software retailers nationwide. Get more information on Officers from its product page at Matrix Games or Tri Synergy’s product page.
ESRB Rating: EVERYONE +10 with MILD VIOLENCE.
PES 2010: New Season, All New Game
Konami’s footballing legend evolves into the most realistic football simulation ever this Autumn
Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced that its forthcoming PES 2010 title will benefit from the most exhaustive raft of new features in the series’ history, with every aspect of the game benefiting from key improvements. Major gameplay additions will make PES 2010 the most realistic football simulation available.
PES 2010 is scheduled for release on PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD, PSP® (PLAYSTATION®Portable), PlayStation®2 and mobile phones in the Autumn, and follows months of analysis and feedback monitoring to enhance the game in every area. PES Productions, Konami’s Tokyo-based development team, has collated feedback on the series’ strengths and weaknesses via fan forums, both ardent and casual PES players and press comment, and has incorporated a wide range of requests in the new game. The result will be the most challenging, realistic and satisfying PES to date.
Konami has spent the last year expanding the development team’s numbers, and created a number of dedicated departments, each striving to further improving their respective parts of the game both in the short and long terms. Key additions for PES 2010 include:
Gameplay: PES 2010 focuses on enhancing the excitement of matches between players, making for a truly challenging experience that will constantly test the player. Intuitive zonal defending will cover spaces and players need to look constantly for new ways to attack. PES 2010 focuses on being a real football simulation, as it requires both strategic play and quick reactions, as in real life. In addition to key out-field elements, goalkeepers are more versatile and with abilities matching those of modern shot-stoppers. The game’s referees have also been reworked, with smarter AI elements allowing them to make more balanced calls during matches.
• Improved Visuals: PES 2010 has undergone a major visual revamp, with its celebrated player likenesses and animations now even closer to those of real-life players – including live player expressions to be depicted with an improved lighting system which differentiates between various conditions! Stadium detail is also massively improved, with the grass and other in-stadium elements finely depicted.
All-new animation and moves: Animations now dovetail into each other seamlessly, with dribbling and shots on goals worked into dribbling animations. More individual skills are also on show, including new flicks and tricks that have a definite showing on the way a game flows. Several elements have been completely reworked, with the dribbling, turning and kicking animations greatly enhanced, while there is a noticeable change in pace when a player passes a ball from a standing position than from within a run.
Match-Day Atmosphere: Crowd reactions to the on-field action are now more varied, with all new chants and cheers. The subtle difference between Home and Away matches will be reproduced, and the crowd will react spontaneously to specific situations in a game, showing their disdain or pleasure as fouls are committed and goals scored. Likewise, the commentary has been altered to offer a fresher, more concise overview of the game.
Enhanced Master League: Master League has been thoroughly renewed with the enhancement of managerial aspects, which enables users to enjoy managing a team for a longer career lifespan. Seen by many as a key contributor to the series’ success, the Master League elements in PES 2010 have been bolstered by far-ranging and vital new additions, dedicated to enriching the mode. Further details will be announced shortly.
AI: The Tokyo team has worked to improve the AI of the game, with Teamvision 2.0 implemented. Midfielders and defenders now work together to cover open space and close down attacks, meaning that cover can be provided for lower-ranked defenders. This also has the additional effect of removing soft goals, thus returning PES 2010 to its simulation roots. In terms of attacking, players can also now move several players once, sending them into different areas, opening up more goal-scoring possibilities than ever before. As such, PES 2010 necessitates a new level of control from the player. Strategic thinking is as important as quick passing, but the new system greatly opens the way the player oversees control of the team. In free kick scenarios, for instance, players can now instigate the runs of the players awaiting the ball in the penalty area.
Individual Play Characteristics: In previous PES games, the team formation has determined the movements of the players. PES 2010 introduces a new system wherein the individual attacking and defending nature of the players is integral to the way they play. Each player enjoys unique AI tied into their best abilities, and is reflected in the actions of their team mates – i.e. if a player who is known to be a good crosser of the ball is in possession, more players will flood the penalty area to receive it. Similarly, if a player is known to be good with close control, defenders will work to cover their stronger side, while lone strikers will be automatically supported by midfielders on receipt of the ball.
Strategy Use: A new power gauge system allows users to balance their strategy in a quick, but wide-ranging way before a match. Every element – pass frequency, movement, the line of defence, width of play, or the position of the front line – can be altered to match those of a favoured club: Juventus Turin are a dangerous side on the counter-attack, for instance, while FC Barcelona use width in their attack. These formulations can be altered at any point, too, with Home and Away matches forcing different circumstances on the user, as does the rigours of a Master League season.
Penalties: An all-new system has been implemented, offering greater control, placing and accuracy.
Enhanced Online: A new dedicated section of the Tokyo team is committed to improving the online side of PES 2010. More downloadable content is also planned. Konami has supported PES 2009 with the release of new licensed teams, transfer updates, etc, and this support will grow for PES 2010. Team and content updates are planned throughout the game’s lifespan. These will make the game even more bespoke to the player’s match day needs.
Konami has strengthend its relationship with UEFA and can announce it has secured the exclusive video game rights for the Europa League Licence (formerly known as the UEFA Cup). In addition Konami will be enhancing and developing the use of the UEFA Champions League within PES 2010 to make even better use of the best club football competition in the world.
Further details of these new features will be released in the coming months. Konami has also confirmed that Lionel Messi will also be a key endorsement player for the new game, and will feature in the promotion and development of the game later this year.
“We have been monitoring feedback and comments on the progression of the PES series for some time now, and PES 2010 will see us implementing a great deal of the ideas players have been requesting,” commented Naoya Hatsumi, Producer for PES Productions at Konami Digital Entertainment Japan. “We aim to make PES 2010 a more user-friendly, immediate experience that places the emphasis on getting straight into the gameplay for which the series is famed. PES 2010 will look better, will play better, and will recreate real football as closely as the current hardware will allow.”
“The preparations for PES 2010 have been in place for some time now, with the reorganization and increase of the Tokyo-based studio allowing expert teams to concentrate on their particular area,” commented Jon Murphy, PES European Team Leader. “We are now in a better position to implement the greatest raft of changes and improvements to the series we have seen, and thank the PES community for their input.”
PES 2010 will be released for PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD, PSP® (PLAYSTATION®PORTABLE), PlayStation®2 and mobile phones in the autumn.
Sacred 2 Patch 2.40 Released
nVidia PhysX and other new features added to enhance the gameplay experience
cdv Software Entertainment USA and Ascaron Entertainment announced a new patch for the retail version of Sacred 2: Fallen Angel for PC. The new patch updates the retail version of Sacred 2 to version 2.40 and adds a slew of new features, including nVidia® PhysXTM support, new mini-bosses and a new achievement system.
The patch, along with a detailed “readme” file, is available at http://update.sacred2.com/, and includes the following content updates and fixes -
• nVidia PhysX technology implemented for two combat arts of each respective hero
- Direct impact on immediate environment
- Updated particle effects
- Variable wind speeds
• Pause functionality for single player mode
• Direct control of minions
• New achievement system (available in logbook)
• Inventory screen changes:
- Equipped items now have a new layout which is individual for each character
• Three new mini bosses
- All mini bosses now have their own quests.
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel is a hack-and-slash action-RPG with a rich story that takes place in a gigantic seamless world. This world contains massive dungeons, treacherous opponents and hundreds of challenging quests. Intelligent enemies, which adapt in number and difficulty based on player progress, challenge gamers in heroic single- and multiplayer battles.
Kingdom Elemental: Tactics and The Magic Toy Chest Arrive on Archive Games
Independent online distribution platform welcomes two new games created by independent developers.
Archive Entertainment is excited to announce the immediate availability of two new games on its service: Kingdom Elemental: Tactics and The Magic Toy Chest.
The Magic Toy Chest, by Graduate Games – Pick up and use 16 unique and wacky toys across 8 different rooms of the house. Solve over 100 puzzles using the physics and fun actions of each toy. Launch rockets, drive trucks, and fly helicopters into your toy box with simple point & click controls.
Kingdom Elemental: Tactics, by Chronic Logic – This game combines tactical strategy with a unique brand of humor. KE simultaneously provides serious action while lampooning everything from overused game plots to its own units. Game Tunnel wrote “Somewhere between tactical and real time strategy there exists a perfect blend. Kingdom Elemental may very well be it.”
Both games can now be downloaded via Archive Games. For more information about Archive Games, please visit http://www.ArchiveGames.net/
Fenimore Fillmore’s Revenge Gallops Into Retail Shops
NEW POINT AND CLICK COWBOY ADVENTURE FEATURES ENGAGING PUZZLES AND HUMOROUS CHARACTERS
Fenimore Fillmore’s Revenge is a point and click PC adventure set in the Wild West, released to retail by Nobilis and Ascaron Entertainment. Players can enjoy the game’s detailed graphics as they follow the adventures of Fenimore Fillmore, a courageous cowboy who must find his recently kidnapped cowgirl companion Rhiannon, before undertaking a quest to find secret hidden treasure.
Fenimore and Rhiannon’s adventures begin when they encounter a wounded stranger on their travels. The stranger tells Rhiannon of some treasure hidden in a cemetery, revealing the name of the person buried there in his last dying words. However, three men approach whilst this clue is being revealed and attack Fenimore and Rhiannon in a blazing showdown to find out the details. Fenimore is left for dead whilst Rhiannon is kidnapped and the treasure hunt begins. Players can then take on the role of either Fenimore or Rhiannon, working through the storyline to collect clues and solve the many puzzles.
Throughout the game, players can enjoy entertaining, humorous dialogue and a wide range of crazy characters; an alcoholic doctor, a mad scientist and a deaf telegraph operator. Fenimore Fillmore’s Revenge also features beautiful 3D graphics and animated cartoon images, allowing the player to fully immerse themselves in the Spaghetti Western theme.
Fenimore Fillmore’s Revenge includes over 50 different objects that can be combined and utilised to move the plot forwards. For example, players will need to collect red and green herbs in order to heal an injured character before progressing further. After some herbs have been fed to the patient, the remaining herbs can be mixed with mud to make a dressing for his wound, prompting him to reveal further clues.
Fast facts:
Publisher: Nobilis
UK Distributor: Ascaron Entertainment
Release date: 3rd April 2009
PEGI: 16+
Format: PC
Genre: Adventure
Empire Of Sports Presents The Volkl Diamond Cup
Empire Of Sports Partners With Global Ski Equipment Brand, Völkl, To Host Permanent Online Ski Championship
Empire of Sports, the first massively connected multisport 3D game, is proud to unveil the latest in its ever growing online sports events; The Völkl Diamond Cup. In association with winter sports equipment brand, Völkl, Empire of Sports has added the Völkl Diamond Cup as a permanent feature to its already impressive line-up of resident online sports based events.
The Völkl Diamond Cup can be found in the permanent events program within Empire of Sports. There are four key stages to qualify for the Völkl Diamond Cup; the first three stages can be entered at any time during the week. The finals will be held every other Saturday and the winner will receive a ski outfit (jacket and trousers) from the Völkl Performance Wear range.
Empire of Sports provides a great interactive platform for companies to promote their brands and advertise new products online – while also reaching a wider audience. As part of Völkl’s association with Empire of Sports, two pairs of brand new Völkl skis will be made available for players’ avatars to use in-game, boosting their performance and making them look good while they’re doing it! Better still, as those ski models are part of Völkl’s range for the forthcoming 2009/10 winter season, Empire of Sports’ avatars will have access to them before the real skis are even available in the shops. So the players will exclusively be able to access the first-class quality of the equipment in May.
Empire of Sports is currently in the Prologue phase: this phase allows Empire of Sports to expand progressively, with the help and feedback of its vast community of online players.
If you are interested in entering the Völkl Diamond Cup and fancy your chances of winning a ski outfit worth £470, all you need to do is download the game client from www.empireofsports.com, register and speak with Francis in the centre of Empire of Sports!
For more information on the Völkl Diamond Cup, please visit https://www.empireofsports.com/community/en/events/permanent-events/sponsor-tournaments/voelkl-diamond-cup/index.html
To view the prizes listed above, please visit http://www.voelkl.com/index.cfm/DE/98/310 and http://www.voelkl.com/index.cfm/DE/98/312
To see a full list of online tournaments, please visit https://www.empireofsports.com/community/en/events/permanent-events/index.html
A killer reset takes place for a version of the Internet’s most popular gangster game
UK based Omerta Game Ltd, publisher of the Internet’s leading Mafia-themed massively multiplayer online game (MMOG), Omerta announces a reset to the Deathmatch version of its very successful game.
Omerta is a text-based mass participation online role-playing game. The action is played out in a world that replicates the infamous 1930′s Mafia boss, Gianluca Barafranca, or better known as Don Barafranca. The goal of each player is to usurp the venerable Don Gianluca and take control of the Mafia empire. Players also progress by stealing, racketeering, robbing banks, stealing and racing cars and forging alliances. It is free to sign up and play. The only requirements are a PC and internet connection.
The Deathmatch version of Omerta, is the Internet’s first text-based shoot-em-up. As a result, the action within the game is much faster, and there is a focus on killing. Players can consequently rank higher, much faster than in the traditional version of the game.
“The Deathmatch version of our game will prove very popular for players that enjoy the original version of Omerta, but are time poor. Much more can be achieved in the Deathmatch version of the game, in a very short space of time” comments Steve Biddick, CEO of Omerta Game Ltd.
The Deathmatch version of Omerta was reset on Tuesday, March 31st at 13.00 GMT. The reset will effectively cleanse all the current player data and create a fresh, new playing environment. “The reset to the Deathmatch version of Omerta will excite existing players and appeal to new, prospective players because everybody will start on a level playing field. The reset will bring a sense of vitality to what is already a very compelling version of the game”, adds Steve Biddick.
Omerta boasts a busy IRC server which frequently has more than 4,000 concurrent users and typically more than 70,000 log in every day to chat, race cars and organise Mafia family wars. The game is run by a crew of over 200 volunteers worldwide. “We have a strategy to continue developing our core product, Omerta as well as breathing new life into existing versions, which players will experience with the reset to the Deathmatch version of the game”, concludes Steve Biddick.
Omerta
Omerta Game Ltd was founded in 2004 to manage and further develop Omerta – the Internet’s biggest Mafia-themed mass participation role-playing game, and to develop and publish other online games.
Omerta Game Ltd has gone on to become an expert in the field of search engine optimization, web promotion, and in creating and managing online communities
Omerta is available in 29 languages, all of which are live on the Deathmatch version of the game at: Omerta Deathmatch. Regional versions are provided, including: Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, Scandinavian and Turkish with others to follow.
Hunting Season Begins As Thehunter.Com Goes Live
FREE Hunting Game and Social Network Opens Doors to Evergreen Hunting Reserve for All www.thehunter.com
Emote Games, publisher of theHunter, has now officially launched the hunting game and social network, giving thousands of eager hunting and gaming enthusiasts the opportunity to play this breakthrough simulation. Free to play, users can simply log on at www.thehunter.com, sign up and gain instant access.
The recent launch has quickly proven a tremendous success with over a hundred thousand people already making theHunter one of the world’s most popular hunting destinations. Originally targeted at a US audience, demand for theHunter has also been phenomenal throughout Europe with particular interest coming from the UK, Germany, France and Sweden.
“The primary objective in the first phase of release was to focus our efforts on quality of service”, said David Rose, Emote Games co-founder and COO. “We wanted to make sure that the whole experience is as amazing as the graphics and AI. We have had a huge demand and want to ensure everyone gets to play with an excellent level of support and service; something that players will come to expect from Emote Games. Feedback to date has been amazing and so now is the time to open theHunter to a much wider audience”.
theHunter combines realistic hunting action that includes tracking, spotting and harvesting a variety of animals, with a larger social networking community that gives players the chance to meet other players, post information about themselves and their hunts, receive awards and see scores. The online element of theHunter allows the game to continually evolve, with regular updates and the release of new features such as hunts, gear, new species, maps and habitats, making the game truly reflective of the ever changing hunting world.
“TheHunter addresses the lack of quality and realism found in many hunting games, which has done a great disservice to the sport and its fans for many years,” said Morgan O’Rahilly, President of Emote Games. “By developing an experience that uses the most advanced technology and follows strict ethical guidelines, theHunter will change the way thegenre is perceived and set a new benchmark for future hunting games.”
Emote Games have had a dedicated community during its development who have provided excellent feedback and suggestions. At Emote we believe the community are the key to success and we look forward to continuing this relationship with original and new members.
To learn more about theHunter and create your free account, visit www.theHunter.com.
Can the Gobliiins find Riri for King Balderon?
King Balderon VIII has always enjoyed a happy childhood. His father, King Balderon VII, was a wise and educated king who ruled the Goblinland in peace. Although King Balderon VIII never liked books, he loved light entertainment – he liked to play with little fluffy animals, loved a good joke and was keen on photography.
For many years the kingdom of Goblinland has lived in peace. Any problems and King Balderon VIII has always been able to count on his three Goblins. Unsurprisingly this calm period of governance has made him rather relaxed and probably not as alert as he should be, and so vulnerable to influence – especially by his grand steward Galantz who harbours the ambition to become king himself.
Riri, the orycterope, has disappeared and probably run away and it has something to do with Galantz and his evil ambitions. He’s very dear to King Balderon’s heart as he came to him as a tiny youngster and has always been a big part of his life. The king has become very depressed and is missing Riri….
The only hope for King Balderon VIII is the three clever Gobliiins. Will they find Riri? Find out on 24th April 2009!
Gobliiins 4 will be released on 24th April 2009 for a recommended retail price of £19.99.
Gobliiins 4 was developed by Société Pollene and is published by Kalypso Media and Snowberry Connection.