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.

Hydro Hurricane Thunder screenshot

Microsoft Game Studios and developer Vector Unit will launch the Xbox Live Arcade sequel to the legendary Midway speedboat racing arcade game, Hydro Thunder Hurricane on July 28th as part of the Xbox Live’s Summer of Arcade promotion.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane is the first official sequel to the classic Midway hit Hydro Thunder, which splashed into arcades and consoles over 10 years ago.  Rather than simply recreate the original game with updated graphics, Vector Unit has delivered an all-new game engine for the sequel, with gorgeous HD visuals and amazing dynamic water physics.

Fans will recognize favorite speedboats from the original Hydro Thunder: Razorback, Damn the Torpedoes, Tidal Blade, Rad Hazard and others return with beautifully redesigned models, multiple unlockable skins, and articulated boost animations with massive rockets folding out from hidden compartments.   Race tracks are all original, but packed with the kinds of shortcuts and spectacular surprises the series is known for.

The indie developer’s motto is ‘Big games in small packages,’ and their first game as a studio delivers on that promise.  The downloadable game features 8 all new interactive race tracks, new Single Player game modes, Xbox LIVE Leaderboard challenges, as well as robust multiplayer support for 8 players online, local split screen races with up to 4 players and a combination of split screen and online play.

Ralf Knoesel, Vector Unit’s Technical Director and the programming visionary behind Hydro Thunder Hurricane’s cutting-edge interactive water, said the team is thrilled to be included as part of the Summer of Arcade.

“We know there were a lot of quality titles vying to be a part of Summer of Arcade, and it’s really a testament to the team’s hard work and creative energy that HTH made the cut. Our goal with Hurricane was to deliver tons of new content with the kind of polish and depth you expect to find in a full retail game. It takes hours to unlock everything in the single player mode, and once you’ve done that you still have multiplayer, which I think is where the game really shines.”

Creative Director Mat Small added;

“The feedback from Hydro Thunder fans has been overwhelmingly positive.  When you put a controller into the hands of a hard core fan, and he nods and grins the first time he goes off some 800 foot jump or nails a shortcut and says something like ‘Oh yeah, this is how I remember it’ – that tells me we pulled it off.
On top of everything else, Hydro Thunder Hurricane  is perfect for Summer of Arcade.   What’s the first thing people think about when it’s summertime?  Sun, fun, splashing around in the water, driving a speedboat at 200 mph, jumping off gigantic cliffs, and dodging dinosaurs.  Right?”

Mmm Possibly.

If thats what summer means to you then visit Vector Unit for more information.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane will be released on July 28, 2010, exclusively on Xbox LIVE Arcade.  The game will sell for 1200 Microsoft Points.

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.

microvolts screenshot

Rock Hippo Productions have announced that their fast and furious MMO-TPS (Massively Multiplayer Online-Third Person Shooter) game, MicroVolts is entering its Beta stage soon.

MicroVolts is a free2play online shooter that offers an innovative Third Person view over the traditional First Person genre, making the game compelling to play, more fun to watch and more importantly, providing an intense gaming experience.

MicroVolts places the gamer in a toy playground and pits players in the roles of action figures in a war that’s been waged in our own homes unnoticed.  How did the war start? Who made them?  It’s time to take up arms and fight for valuable battery resources and supremacy of the Micro World.

Featuring fast paced gameplay and a thriving number of different weapons, characters, levels and modes, another of the game’s unique features is the possibility to customize your character. With literally thousands of cosmetic items either purchasable or freely available, no one character must look the same.

Each individual player’s statistics are logged and MicroVolts also gives the opportunity to level up so your character becomes an even more feared opponent in the fun-to-play levels.

MicroVolts offers the player a huge choice of options for putting their own stamp on the game:
·         4 characters to choose from that are customizable with a choice of thousands of cosmetic items.

·         Choose from 7 different types of weapons, each being fully upgradeable.

·         Strategic teamwork that offers dynamic and fast paced game play.

·         Multiple maps, designed by Toy Concept, offer a distinct and visually rich view of the world.

·         Different game modes offer the player a unique experience.

Visit the MicroVolts website to be among the first to reciece a beta code and check out the exciting free to play new game.

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.

Freejack screenshot

Game Bridger Entertainment have announced the latest game to become available on their free to play games platform Gamekraft. Freejack is a parkour racing game with slick cartoon-style graphics and innovative new gameplay mechanics based on the underground sport of free running, developed by Korean developer WiseOn.

In FreeJack, players race head-to-head as one of four hip characters, bustin’ stylish flips and tricks to increase their speed and come out on top!

The exciting new addition to the Gamekraft platform is scheduled for release in the North America and European market place during July 2010.

FreeJack is a free-to-play parkour racing game for Windows PCs supporting Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. Players race head-to-head across the urban metropolis of New Jack City as one of four hip characters, bustin’ stylish flips and tricks to increase their speed and gain access to hidden pathways and shortcuts.

Players can personalize their character with fresh outfits and running gear and even customize their own unique in-game living space with cool furniture and accessories to show off to friends! FreeJack also supports online leaderboards, a club/clan system, in-game friends lists, and more.

FreeJack will be free to download and play. Visit the FreeJack homepage for registration and further details.

Tehra is a hybrid creature who is part human and part devil, a female warrior who must take on the monstrous Orcs, the undead and a horde of beasts, trying to confront Bacdar, the King of Demons.

Tehra: Dark Warrior is a  classic action hack’n’slash and adventure based in a fantasy world. Our heroine, Tehra will progress through the game increasing her combat skills, magical power and become brutally evil with extraordinary power.

Sistar is a world inhabited by three races: Humans, Demons and Dragons. The Humans and Demons, antagonistic races by nature, fought for control of the territory, enslaving the dragon race because of its great destructive power in battle. Finally realizing that the fight would never end, the factions of both opposing sides signed the Tarkhubal Treaty, according to which the territory would be divided into six kingdoms: three would be bestowed on the three human kings and the other three on the Devil Lords of the war. To watch over the implementation of this Treaty agreed by opposing sides, a hybrid creature, human and devil, was created: Tehra, whose mission is maintaining peace in Sistar. Her directive is straightforward, if a king breaks the Treaty, he will be eliminated.

Tehra is the only hybrid both human and devil in the game, and was created specifically to protect the fulfillment of the Treaty of Tarkhubal. She may change her physical appearance to take a more human or devil aspect although in order to do this, she needs some demon blood. When in demon mode, her attacks are stronger and more deadly, although she cannot keep this momentum for long.

The PSP version of the game includes several improvements that really convert this game into one of the most interesting titles you could find at any Playstation Store. There are new levels; more detailed scenarios; new movements and attack combos; new monsters; and better playability.

Key Features
• Tehra has two sides to her character: both human and devil.
• Easy to play. The player will understand the controls in a few minutes.
• Player magic and combat skills evolution.
• Great history mode and challenging minigames including a survival style game for fast-playing.
• Defeat enemies and complete levels to unlock Challenges.
• Hours of gameplay.
• 3D graphics with full use of PSP hardware for special effects as Bloom and smooth gameplay.

Tehra:Dark Warrior

Objects & Spells
The following list details the potions, spells and objects that the player will find across the world of Sistar, and a brief description of their effect:

Electricity: Transform demon blood into electricity, creating a lighting ray that damages the enemies.

Shockwave: Creates a powerful shockwave that can damage all the enemies on the screen.

Combustion: Creates an explosion around the player, causing damage to all the enemies near the player.
Some creatures are not damaged by this spell.

Fireballs: Results in the creation of one or various fire spheres, than cause serious damage to all the enemies currently on the screen. The numbers of spheres may change.

Power Attack: Powerful attack that hits multiple enemies in front of Tehra.

Gold: Found on chests, hidden places, or dropped by some enemies, allow Tehra to learn new spells and combat skills.

Demon Wrath: Allows Tehra transform into a Dark Warrior.

Rings of Eir: Magical body protection. Tehra will be more resistant to enemy attacks.

Dragon Claw: Provides a better assimilation of demon blood.
The consumption of blood to cast spells will be less.

Tehra: Dark Warrior is released today, June 2nd, through the Sony Playstation Store as a PSP MINI videogame suitable for PSP and Playstation 3, priced at €4.99.

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.

Friday Town

Friday Town is a brand new groundbreaking social game created by a partnership between Cadbury’s Crunchie and nDreams, it launches today on the social media website Facebook.

Friday Town invites players into a virtual world and challenges them to help its inhabitants brighten up their lives with a series of puzzles that will unfold over the coming weeks and months.

On arriving in this virtual world the player takes on the role of a Friday Feeling Engineer, whose job is to make everyone feel more Friday-ish, with progress measured on a Friday-o-meter: the more fun and excitement generated, the better the player does.

The aim of the game’s first chapter is to help the Friday Engineers make the town fountain pump out chocolate instead of water, and turn it into a giant sundae!

As each additional chapter is then unlocked, players will face a whole new set of puzzles, meaning the game is constantly evolving to bring new bursts of that Friday Feeling. To add an extra level of competition, the game rewards those who recruit new players, via their own Facebook friend lists, with access to a secret area.

The theme of the game has been developed in parallel with Crunchie’s new TV advertising campaign, which sees a team of Friday Engineers helping a man singing to himself in a Monday-type way ramp it right up to that Friday Feeling with lights, fireworks and a full-on festival stage.  The TV campaign is in support of the launch of new Cadbury Crunchie Rocks, crispy Crunchie honeycomb pieces and golden cornflakes tumbled in delicious milk chocolate.

The game has been developed by an expert team, headed up by former Eidos Creative Director Patrick O’Luanaigh, who has worked on twelve worldwide number-one selling games over the last fourteen years.

Past successes have included overseeing a return to form for the Lara Croft franchise with Tomb Raider Legend, two Conflict: Desert Storm games that have sold well over 3.5 million copies, and Xi, the first console ‘Alternate Reality Game’, which had over six million visits in the first six months.

Patrick moved from Eidos to become CEO of nDreams in 2007, and has brought the same instinctive flair for creating addictive games that led to these hits to the development of Friday Town.

Ross Farquhar, brand manager for Crunchie, comments: “People are going to love this game. We’ve deliberately chosen to work with the experts behind some of the biggest gaming success stories of recent years, as we knew they’d be able help us realise our ambition: a truly immersive game with real fun-factor that brings that Friday Feeling to anyone who plays it, any day of the week.”

Patrick O’Luanaigh, CEO of nDreams, adds: “The challenge with Friday Town was creating a genuinely entertaining game that people would want to play, while also delivering an experience that reflected Crunchie’s brand identity. There are so many social games on offer now that having a recognisable name attached isn’t enough to make a game a success on its own. We’re confident that with Friday Town we’ve struck the right balance between exciting gameplay and brand messaging, and we have lots of great things planned as Friday Town grows week by week!”

To take part in this exciting new social game visit Crunchie at Facebook.