Hidden Mysteries: Royal Family Secrets
Focus Multimedia announced the forthcoming release of Hidden Mysteries: Royal Family Secrets.
Royal Family Secrets is the exciting new title from the acclaimed and hugely popular Hidden Mysteries franchise of hidden object adventure games.
The adventure places you in the role of a faithful royal servant, falsely accused of stealing from Her Majesty. Sentenced to death in the Tower of London, you are doomed to wander within the walls of “The Bloody Tower” for eternity. Unless you can find help and fashion your escape…
Set in England, with locations including the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey (where, on 12th March 2012, The Queen celebrated Commonwealth Day Observance), Royal Family Secrets is uncannily themed and brilliantly timed to coincide with the excitement and public fanfare of The Diamond Jubilee as The Queen celebrates 60 years as Monarch. Read more
New Survey Reveals Significant Interest in Video Games That Encourage Physical Activity
The majority of consumers believe video games should encourage physical activity and that “physically active” video games can complement traditional exercise, according to a new survey released by UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH).
The survey of 1,015 adults, age 18 or older, found that nearly 75 percent of respondents believe that video games should include a component that encourages physical activity. Also, 70 percent said that physically active video games – defined in the survey as video games that require body movements to control the activity on the screen – can complement or supplement traditional exercise.
More than half (54 percent) said that physically active video games would encourage them to be more active, while 60 percent of survey respondents with children in the household said children should be encouraged to play physically active video games as a complement to traditional exercise. Read more
Gemini Wars has gone gold and ready for pre-order!
Mission-based space strategy game Gemini Wars (PC/Mac ) has gone gold and is now available for pre-order on a multitude of digital download portals and in the Iceberg webshop. The boxed edition of Gemini Wars will be released on 8 June 2012 in various European English speaking territories, while localized versions will be released in the course of June 2012 as well.
Iceberg Interactive CEO Erik Schreuder says : “Iceberg Interactive is no stranger to space strategy games, having successfully released ‘4x’ games such as Armada 2526 and Star Ruler and recently having signed up the highly anticipated upcoming games Endless Space and StarDrive. With Gemini Wars, we are bringing space strategy gamers a great looking, more structured strategy gaming experience that still has a lot of ‘4x’ elements, but is focused on a multitude of increasingly challenging missions set in the Gemini universe and a great storyline that develops during the campaign. The game features great voice acting and to top it of, it includes a cool printed comic book set in the Gemini Wars universe!”
DC Universe Online: Fourth DLC pack, “The Last Laugh”, arrives next month
The battle between heroes and villains in DC Universe Online (DCUO) continues as Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) announced that The Last Laugh, the fourth downloadable content (DLC) pack for DCUO, will be available in June for download on the PC and PlayStation 3.
The Last Laugh will pit players against each other in high-intensity multiplayer brawls, feature an all-new weapon, and introduce new Light-Powered Legends PvP characters.
“We created this DLC purely for the players that like to take the fight to each other in DCUO’s amazing PvP combat,” said Jens Andersen, creative director on DC Universe Online. “Our community has continuously asked for more multiplayer action in DCUO, and we wanted to deliver content that fully meets their expectations and pushes PvP to another level. The Last Laugh is the first DLC that we’ve created that focuses almost entirely on player versus player battles, and it adds an exciting new element as some of DC’s greatest heroes and villains join to fight alongside you. Players will have even more opportunities to prove to the world whether heroes or villains will be triumphant.” Read more
Class Acts: Worms Revolution to feature worm classes!
Team17 are proud to announce that the forthcoming release of Worms Revolution will feature a class system for the first time. This addition introduces four different classes, Soldier, Scout, Scientist and Heavy, into the game. Players will eventually be able to unlock a total of 16 worms (4 of each class) to choose from to go into their teams, which makes it possible for a player to take any combination of classes into the game. Players will be able to use a team of all four of the same class if they prefer, or mix and match classes to get the best results.
About the Classes:
The Soldier
The Soldier is like the standard worm from the previous Worms games, and is the most well rounded worm in the game. The Soldier is good at attacking and getting around the landscape, though he is not specialised in any particular area. Read more
Star Wars: The Old Republic Expands to New Countries in Europe and the Middle East
BioWare and LucasArts announced that Star Wars: The Old Republic will officially launch in 38 additional countries throughout Europe and the Middle East.
Starting today, fans in those regions will be able to purchase the critically-acclaimed massively multiplayer online game and enjoy the story-driven experience that has captivated critics and fans since the game’s historic launch in December.
Players will be able to choose from the Standard Edition and the Digital Deluxe Edition of Star Wars: The Old Republic at Origin.com and participating retailers located in Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Bahrain, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Estonia, Gibraltar, Iceland, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. For a complete list of participating retailers and for pricing by territory, please visit http://buy.swtor.com. Read more
Runes of Magic levels up its Accessibility
The fantasy MMORPG Runes of Magic can now be played in a browser. Players can choose between the normal client version and the browser version thanks to the implementation of Kalydo streaming technology by Dutch gaming specialist, Eximion. Game quality is not compromised in the new version, and RoM can now be played on any PC that meets the technical requirements without having to download the full client. For now the browser version will be offered in Europe only.
Downloading the browser version is fast and only requires the transmission of a small data package before players can get stuck in. It generally takes around 30 seconds before they reach the main menu and can move onto character creation.
The browser version runs on the same servers as the client version, so players can still get together in familiar surroundings. The platforms currently supported include Windows 7, Vista and XP with Service Pack 2 installed. Supported browsers include the most up-to-date versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome.
More information on the browser version as well as how to get started in the game can be found at: http://browser.runesofmagic.com.
DreamHack Summer 2012 Plans Revealed for Heroes of Newerth
S2 Games, creators of the award-winning MOBA title, Heroes of Newerth (HoN) – announced plans for a massive multi-regional tournament series, DreamHoN, officially sponsored by Alienware Arena and set to headline at the world’s largest LAN event, DreamHack Summer 2012.
DreamHoN will feature five-man teams from around the globe facing-off in the massively popular session-based MOBA title, Heroes of Newerth. Teams from North America, Europe, South East Asia (SEA), Oceania, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Korea will all vie for their shot at over $60,000 in prize money and the pride of representing their home territory live at DreamHack Summer 2012 in Jönköping, Sweden. It all kicks off with separate North American, European, and Oceanic qualifiers starting April 23rd.
“We are dedicated to increasing the exposure of our game on a global scale”, said Phil Haller, Director of eSports at S2 Games, “There’s no better way to do that than taking the best HoN players in the world to one of the biggest eSport events on the planet and let them do what they do best.” Read more
Unleash Third-Person PC Shooter Fury with Mercenary Ops
PC shooter fans looking for a new twist on online multiplayer games are certain to find it this summer in Mercenary Ops. The new title combines the best of the tactical gameplay elements from conventional third-person shooters with the fast-paced competitive and cooperative team matches found in online multiplayer titles – and adds to the mix a deeper layer of character development and customization.
“In a third-person shooter, the online multiplayer aspect of the game always seems to be an after-thought to the single-player experience,” said Mercenary Ops Producer, Jason Sharp. “Because of this, we decided to concentrate on creating an entirely different online experience by looking at every facet of game design from that perspective. This decision resulted in a unique style of play that enhanced traditional tactical combat by requiring players to have a quicker, more aggressive attitude.”
Like other third-person shooters, Mercenary Ops implements cover-based mechanics and an active reload system as the foundation of the game’s design. Along with these familiar gameplay elements, the developers added the precise control and aiming abilities found only on the PC. In addition, the game was enhanced by adding destructible cover, an encumbrance system and maps designed with multiple threat vectors to shake up the stop-and-pop gameplay often found in third-person shooters. Read more
Silkroad-R: New players should feel at home with a bunch of fresh events
Joymax announced a bevy of events for their sister titles Silkroad Online and Silkroad-R. Contests galore begin today alongside a special gift package and much, much more!
Silkroad-R: New Players’ Gift Basket, Design A Pet
Welcome to your new home in Silkroad-R! Awaiting your auspicious arrival is a four part gift package that will help you on your way. Prizes include the New Saint Knight Outfit (given to all new players at level 1), the Fairy Outfit (earned by reaching level 30), and an extra, secret item that players will receive after their first Silk purchase. Veterans are not left out, as the “Design your fellow” contest begins today. Entries will be accepted today until May 16th, when a community vote will take place. If your creative idea is one of the three chosen, your pet will be added to the game! Read more