Star Trek Online screenshot

Atari have joined up with developer Cryptic Studios to announce the launch of  Season Two: Ancient Enemies, the latest content update for the Star Trek Online Universe.

Season Two: Ancient Enemies is available at no additional cost to current Star Trek Online players. The content update allows players to encounter and battle even more of Star Trek’s iconic races, and enjoy all new Episodes.

Star Trek Online’s Season Two: Ancient Enemies boasts the following new features:

• A new level cap: players can now reach level 51. (The previous level cap was 45.)  With the increase come new ranks within the Federation and Klingon factions.
• All new rewards and content: including new Tier 5 ships, high-level versions of every Special Task Force mission and Fleet Action, and Mark XI gear rewards.
• Eight brand new Episodes: tailored specifically for the Klingon Empire, these Episodes star the Fek’ihri, the fabled enemy of Kahless, founder of the Klingon Empire.  In Season Two, the Fek’ihri have returned and have again set their eyes upon Qo’noS.
• A brand new gameplay option: the Federation Diplomatic Corps. In this new system, players have the chance to meet and peacefully interact with brand new civilizations.  As players progress through the Diplomatic Corps, they earn special ranks and rewards.
• Feature Episodes: five special new Episodes will debut weekly, beginning in August. These Episodes will introduce a new neutral race: the Deferi.  Players of any level from both factions will be able to aid the Deferi against an adversary new to Star Trek Online.
• Dabo: a longtime staple of social areas in the Star Trek Universe, the casino game Dabo is coming to Star Trek Online. Players can wager energy credits to earn gold-pressed latinum, which they can exchange for special new rewards.

Season Two: Ancient Enemies also permits players to continue interaction with the Undine, venturing into their native Fluidic space to learn more about the enigmatic species and their struggle with the Borg.  The Undine story continues with five new Episodes, a Fleet Action and all new Deep Space Encounters.

Taking place in the year 2409, Star Trek Online boasts extraordinary features and lets fans both new and old experience unparalleled adventures.  Players have the opportunity to become high-ranking Starfleet officers and participate in missions that take them into the depths of space, across exotic planets and inside other starships. Star Trek Online offers total customization, from a player’s avatar to the ship he captains.

For more information visit the Star Trek Online website.

Haunted House re-visited

Thirty years on from its original incarnation, Atari have updated the classic Haunted House game for a new generation. The iconic groundbreaking game returns with more chills, cool new unlockables and plenty of spooky new enemies and is promised to be available for Halloween 2010.

Haunted House pays homage to the classic favorite as players fight for their lives in Graves Mansion as the grandchildren of the original character that disappeared without a trace in the evil mansion over 30 years ago.

Chased by pesky poltergeists, haunted by scary skeletons and exhausted from battles with creepy creatures, players are in a goosebump-inducing fight to explore the dark and creepy depths of Graves Mansion in search of the four lost pieces of the magical urn.  The player’s goal is to reassemble the urn and defend their family’s legacy with the aid of mystical tomes, powerful light sources and multiple keys.

The pick up-and-play arcade-style adventure allows players to jump right in and begin battling for their family’s legacy and explore the dark and mysterious levels.

An eerie, 3D rich environment of towers, basements and catacombs draws players into the haunted world and cursed story. Find hidden treasures, solve puzzles, fight bosses, and navigate through the spooky mansion and multiple levels on the way to a showdown with Zachary Graves.

Haunted House will take control of Wii®, Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC Download this Autumn, with suspense filled challenges, new chilling environments and more frightful enemies than ever before.

For further information visit the Atari Haunted House website.

maestro! green groove screenshot

Neko Entertainment have announced the European launch of Maestro! Green Groove, a musical platform adventure game designed for Nintendo DSIWare, available from the Nintendo Shop Channel now.

Blending two exquisite flavours, Maestro! Green Groove is a unique concept combining the standards of platform gaming with the pleasure of musical creation in a unique and astonishing way.

Maestro! Green Groove gives players the power to create a symphony with the touch of the Nintendo DS-stylus. Set in the deep, dark tropical forests of the Green Groove World, players take control of Presto a colourful music loving bird.

Using the DSi stylus players strum, run and tap to the rhythm of a Bollywood musical orchestra whose reinterpretation of classics such as Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Chopin’s Nocturne n°2 and Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” will drive you wild. Just like the world’s best conductors, to move Presto through Maestro! Green Groove players will need to stick as close as possible to the original composition to progress.

Featuring challenges including special strings, goofy enemies and crazy targets that need to be knocked down as fast as lightning, Presto will need to defeat his jealous rival Staccato and his spider gang in epic musical battles.

Utilizing the Nintendo DSi microphone Maestro! Green Groove is one of the first DSiWare games to truly make the most of the Nintendo DSi microphone, allowing players to let their vocal cords loose with the melodies featured in the game.

Laurent Lichnewsky, Managing Director of Neko Entertainment says;

“We are pleased to announce the launch of Maestro! Green Groove for Nintendo DSiWare owners throughout Europe. Its perfect mix of platform adventure gaming and musical creation featuring some of the world’s best known compositions will appeal to players both you and old.”

For further information visit Neko Entertainment.

mythos screenshot

Mythos is back!

Despite the potential of the colourful monster hunting game Mythos, the previous developers were for some reason unable to continue with the game.

Its comeback is now securely on the cards with Frogster having secured the license for its publication in Europe. Mythos has been remoulded and will appear in five language versions following a free-to-play payment model according to the plans of the Berlin-based games publisher.

The essence of its game play will be retained: players will hunt down fearsome monsters in dark dungeons in the typical Hack-n’-Slay fashion, either on their own or in groups, to find rare loot and steadily develop into mighty heroes. Frogster will expand Mythos with new content and features in cooperation with the Korean publisher, HanbitSoft, but without altering the gaming principals that have made Mythos such a success.

Mythos was originally developed by Flagship Studios as a test program for ‘Hellgate: London’. The team headed by Bill Roper was so impressed by the final results that they decided to continue the Action-MMORPG as a completely stand-alone project.

Following Flagship Studio’s insolvency the closed-beta server was switched off in 2008 which saw the rights to Mythos being transferred to the Korean publisher, HanbitSoft. The experienced software firm announced in 2009 that it would continue the game’s license and has been working ever since on its comeback. The Berlin-based publisher, Frogster, plans to launch Mythos in Europe no later than in the first quarter of 2011 and the open beta is planned for the final quarter of this year.

Andreas Weidenhaupt, Chief Licensing Officer for Frogster Interactive Pictures AG and CEO of Frogster Online Gaming GmbH said:

“The premature dropping of Mythos before its release was a real loss for the genre. That’s why we’re really pleased to finally bring the game to Europe. We’re not just going to meet the expectations of the game’s fans – we’re going to surpass them.”

For more information visit the Mythos european site.

Blade Kitten screenshot

Major videogame producer Atari have announced the upcoming European launch of Blade Kitten, the game based on the  comic book series by creator Steve Stamatiadis.

Developed by Krome Studios, Blade Kitten brings the world of bounty hunter Kit Ballard to life and will launch this September on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation Network, and Windows PC Download.

Blade Kitten marks the latest creation by Mr. Stamatiadis, the force behind the multi-million selling TY the Tasmanian Tiger series. In Blade Kitten, a prequel to the comics set three years prior; players are invited into the world of Hollow Wish where they take on the role of Kit Ballard, one of the best bounty hunters in the business.

With her pink hair and tail, Kit is part cat, part girl – and fully lethal.  As one of the last of her species, Kit commands her unique ‘Darque Blade’ hovering sword to defeat enemies.  Also along for the ride is Skiffy, Kit’s laid-back sidekick who lends a hand in collecting items, solving puzzles, and when needed, serves as Kit’s protector.

Blade Kitten goes beyond most downloadable titles to deliver a strong narrative, with high-quality cinematics, and a colourful, frenetic visual style, that lends to the pick-up-and-play arcade action.  Players will jump right in and easily begin exploring and fighting their way through 19 levels, including three exploration levels with Noot (a rideable alien mount).  Blade Kitten also features innovative gameplay mechanics, intuitive ’scramble style’ exploration, fully voiced dialogue, dramatic narrative and a powerful distinct anime-inspired visual direction.

John Burns, Vice President and General Manager for Atari Europe, said;

“We are pleased to announce the upcoming launch of Blade Kitten for Xbox LIVE Arcade, Playstation®Network and PC Download. With its colourful anime inspired universe, simple pick up and play arcade action and intuitive scramble style exploration Blade Kitten is destined to become one of the hot digital releases of 2010.”

For further information visit the Blade Kitten website.

Ascedia Peaks-Crusader

The latest online game from international publisher UTV Games has been announced as Faxion Online.

The upcoming highly competitive, fully featured MMORPG allows players to become part of the classic struggle between good and evil; but with a twist.

The game features the two forces of good and evil, The Crusader is a class that is available to players on the side of heaven, representing Good, and The Reaver is a class that is available to players on the side of Hell, representing Evil.

As the names imply, Crusaders and Reavers are strong all around. They can fill the classic roles of tanking or damage dealing with ease. They will also feature multiple skill paths players may choose to learn that best support their play style.

Reavers and Crusaders are powerful warriors who serve as the front lines in a fight, the close-range combatants who protect and defend their companions. Of all the classes, these rely most heavily on their gear and enjoy access to a broad range of weapons and armor. They know the quality of their equipment profoundly affects their ability to inflict and withstand damage. Only the mightiest of fighters with their great strength can survive the rigors of wearing such heavy armor and wielding such massive weapons.

Purgatory Valley-Reaver

Ascedia Peaks
Ascedia Peaks is a region of Purgatory where open world PvP may take place. Its appearance reflects the arrogance and pride of man. At their most noble, the folk who dwell here exude extreme self-confidence, a true appreciation for a job well done, and a profound belief in their own abilities. At their most base, however, their pride descends into disdainful haughtiness, vain boasting, and ultimately megalomania.

Purgatory Valley
Purgatory Valley is another region where open world PvP may take place. A lush tropical valley sits nestled among rocky cliffs where ancient, vine-strangled ruins stand as crumbling icons to numerous once-great civilizations. The seven-pointed, star-shaped city of Purgatory dominates the center of the valley, its towering walls looming over the gloomy floor of the jungle. The River Styx bisects both the valley and the city itself, where waterfalls plummet from the massive walls and spill into the river below.

Territory control, an important and deep feature of the game, will sport two main factions — the forces of heaven and hell – where players will engage in grand battles to vie for control of a territory and influence on behalf of their side of the conflict. Players can expect to see a ground-breaking, competitive action game that strips away the typical experience and leveling grind observed in many MMORPG’s today.

For further information visit the Faxion Online website.

As well as experiencing the Superbike championship, players can also participate in the Supersport series, testing the improvements of the Portimao circuit.

You can try out your riding skills in different weather conditions as well as riding against 15 other riders in the new Online Multiplayer Mode and you can also play both in Arcade or Simulation mode.

As well as the regular Regular SBK®X edition, there is to be a Limited Special Edition which features a list of 17 riders from the history of Superbikes plus a DVD documentary showing highlights of an exclusive interview with the 2009 Superbike World Champion Ben Spies.

Both versions of the game will be available for purchase from the 4th June.

You may have the original Sony Playstation stashed away safely in your room somewhere, but gaming on the go is the newer way to play, and if you haven’t yet caught on to the Sony PSP (PlayStation Portable), where have you been?!

The stylish portable games console lets you access games, music, videos and photos at any time of day. The PSP also features a TV-out socket for displaying content on a television.  As far as Sony PSP games and accessories go, there’s a mountain to choose from.  If you like a good grapple, you can’t beat Sony PSP’s Tekken: Dark Resurrection.

If you’re not familiar with the Tekken series, it’s about time you looked them up. The arcade style games let you select from an impressive list of diverse characters each with their own fighting style, before you pick your opponent and try to knock their block off.  What better way to pass the time on an otherwise dull train journey, or the miserable morning bus ride to work?

Delivering everything that makes the Tekken series so popular, Sony PSP’s Tekken: Dark Resurrection is an impressive graphical game.   One for the lads, it’s a staple PSP game that ticks all the right boxes.

Fans of spiky-headed favourite Sonic the Hedgehog will no doubt love Sony PSP’s Sonic Rivals.  With high speed thrills, this simple yet staple PSP game combines the old school feel of the Sonic classics with modern graphics and updated features.  Bright, colourful levels with plenty of jumps and loops ensure a rollercoaster ride from start to finish. Providing an interesting twist to the original Sonic game, Sonic Rivals sees Sonic save his friends from classic rival Eggman in a series of one-on-one races.

You’ll be hooked almost as soon as you switch on your PSP.

A game made exclusively for the Sony Playstation portable, Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines, part of the popular Assassin’s Creed franchise, is a real hit with the boys.  The action-adventure game allows players to free-roam an island at will, all while keeping out of sight of deadly enemies on the way.

Fantasy fans can get a load of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, based on the film of the same name. Set in the world of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII, the game sees Cloud tackle the mystery of the ‘geostigma’, which has become infected by being exposed to the planet’s life stream energy. Cloud and the remaining Final Fantasy VII characters are to lash back at the planet, while saving themselves from destruction. Gripping and addictive, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is already storming the gaming charts.

Little Big Planet is the latest Sony PlayStation craze to take the gaming market by storm. Widely regarded as one of the top 10 Sony PSP games, Little Big Planet gives you the chance to step into a world of endless possibilities, where your imagination is key.  You can enhance whatever you see, using your own creativity, while the graphics behind Little Big Planet provide the rest.  Set out with Sackboy and explore a wealth of environments, while overcoming frustrating obstacles in order to build your own creations. The power is firmly in your hands!

Everyone loves a good virtual car chase, so why not check out Grand Theft Auto? Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is a favourite in the Grand Theft Auto series, where players navigate their way through the streets as they uncover the truth behind a tale of crime and corruption. Gran Turismo, the real driving simulator, also recently made its debut on the Sony PSP. Featuring over 800 car models and 35 tracks, there’s mission and arcade modes to choose from as well as a multiplayer racing mode.

Footy fans will love Sony PSP’s FIFA 10, with its improved graphics and enhancements. Featuring refinements based on responsiveness and intelligence, plus a new ‘Manager Mode’ including a whopping 50 major improvements, the game includes the 360° dribbling system, which provides finer dribbling control, as well as more accurate passing and authentic shooting.

But the Sony PSP is not just about games: there’s also plenty of films to be downloaded too, as well as a wealth of gaming accessories. Ensure you get a decent durable case and screen protector, first off. PSP accessories packs come in a variety of combinations, with carry cases and screen protectors often included. Save on batteries and get yourself a Sony PSP adaptor, ensuring you can play without the worry that your game will cut out half way through.

For games, movies and accessories, you’ll certainly be spoilt for choice with your PSP. Happy gaming!

Runes Of Magic Southern Janost Forest Screenshot

Along with the much anticipated release of Runes Of Magic – Chapter III – The Elder Kingdoms on May 18th, a new zone opens up in the North West Thunderhoof Hills, exploring the miry wastes of the Southern Janost Forest.

The new zone contains multiple quests for adventurers who have reached character level 57.

The stifling air of the Southern Janost Forest hangs damp and dull and the swampy landscape is full of dangers to intrepid explorers. This is the home of the principality of Shador, a forest dwelling people who have perfected the art of bow and arrow combat.

Long ago, the mother of the race, Jenny ‘The Thousand Feathers’ Giant, was a close ally to King Kalume. However, over the centuries, the glitter of the race deteriorated and now Thousand Feathers’ descendants wage battle against the brutal forces from Warnorken Castle.

The bastion of the barbarous Baron Reuen von Jura is the source of all evil in the Southern Janost Forest. But, brave adventurers – dispatched by the child king Callaway – now gather in the swamps and seek solidarity with the noble people of Shador.

Players will first need to win the trust of the shy forest folk. In the the Southern Janost Forest there are abundant missions in which adventurers have to win the favor of the Shador. The zone boasts with over 100 new quests which relay the history of the swampy region.

For more information about the new territory visit the Runes Of Magic website.

priston tale 2: screenshot

Gamekraft have announced that the European open beta test for its highly anticipated free to play game Priston Tale 2. The Second Enigma, will begin on Friday May 14th at 18.00 GMT+1

The open beta test will be marked by several significant updates and changes including, updated quests, an adjusted experience rate, and a new Europe-only server.

Sign up for a free account on Game Bridger Entertainment’s new free-to-play games portal GamerKraft.

Matthew Denomme, Marketing Manager for Game Bridger Entertainment, says;

“We have collected invaluable feedback from thousands of players during the closed beta test. This feedback will inform improvements to the Priston Tale 2 gameplay experience in the upcoming open beta and beyond.”

Priston Tale 2: The Second Enigma is a free fantasy MMORPG for Windows PCs supporting Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

Players venture across the vast and wondrous continent of Priston, currently under siege from the forces of the evil god Midranda, in a race to locate the only worldly power capable of ending his evil reign: the mythical Second Enigma.

Priston Tale 2 features three unique races of playable characters, a combo-based active battle system, competitive player versus player combat, new skill and item systems, and extensive guild and party support.

All this, in addition to slick, high-quality graphics made possible through the power of the Unreal Engine. Priston Tale 2: The Second Enigma is a part of the GamerKraft library of free games.

Priston Tale 2: The Second Enigma is free to download and play. Visit the Priston Tale 2 homepage.