The independent developer formation “4kids games” has released their initial title on PC and Xbox LIVE Indie Games. Ancient Trader is a simple, easy entry strategy game suitable for all ages, which originally came to life as a board-game design.

The game takes you and up to 4 players on a journey of discovery in uncharted oceans, with wealthy ports awaiting discovery and mythical sea monsters roaming the waters, hunting for prey. Your goal in the game is to discover new opportunities for trade, upgrade your ship and weapons and challenge the monsters and competing traders in simple battles with stylized card-minigames.

You can play on 9 pre-defined maps on three different difficulties or create random new maps with different parameters and set-up conditions for your single- or multiplayer games. Besides its easy-to-learn, pick-up and play strategic tabletop appeal, the main attraction of Ancient Trader is the beautiful and distinctive visual presentation of the game. The whole artwork of the game is hand-crafted, stylized to resemble the copper-stitch style of old maps and pictures from the late middle-ages. The players are immersed into the atmosphere of great expeditions into the unknown seas and back to times when the empty spots on the maps were believed to be inhabited by mystical monsters and ancient guardians.

Peter Levius, the author of the original concept comments:
“My vision was to create a minimalistic strategy game that would have a complex winning strategy and beautiful old map visuals. I am happy to see that many people like the result.”

Petr Vcelka, responsible Artist:
“When I finish a project, I usually don’t want to see it anymore. But Ancient Trader is an exception. When I play it, I forget that I actually worked on it.”

Ancient Trader is available on Xbox LIVE Indie Games and also on PC via digital distribution sites like Gamersgate, Youdagames or Gamesload.

The game was already well received by the press and will also next be featured in actual Indie Game competitions.

Official Website:
http://www.ancienttrader.com/

Official Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-lSG9bTrs4

PC- Download:
http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-ATRADER/ancient-trader

http://www.youdagames.com/Ancient-Trader-game-info-4750

http://www.gamesload.de/ancient-trader/

Xbox 360- Download:
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/ga...-00005855058b/ ...

After building anticipation for two weeks, redspotgames and Z-Software disclose the final details of Solar Struggle. The game will be released for the Xbox Live Indie Games platform and will be available in August 2010. The price will be only 400 Microsoft Points.

As mentioned in the press release two weeks ago, Solar Struggle will set new quality standards on the platform and explore far-ranging possibilities. "This announcement hasn't been just empty promises," says Z-Software's CEO Andreas Heldt, "for example, the graphical details will be much higher than most Xbox Live Indie Games. Also, you won't find as powerful a 3D engine among other Indie Games. The story is well thought out, includes plot twists and will be filled with cut scenes and voices from famous voice actors." David Michael Williamson, star of the English version, has made a name for himself as screenwriter and actor in movies like 'Over My Dead Body'. Voice talents like Willi Röbke, well-known as the German voice for characters in TV series like 'The Simpsons', 'Futurama', and 'The Super Mario Bros. Super Show' as been hired as well, as have many other talented actors.

Max Scharl, CEO of redspotgames, adds: "Within the last few years there has been a rise in quality among the games of Xbox Live Arcade. We're trying something similar with Solar Struggle for Xbox Live Arcade. We're going to test how a highquality title will be received on this network and see whether it opens up new possibilities." Not long ago a game like Solar Struggle would have been released as a Arcade Game and not among the Indie Games. The Munich-based publisher redspotgames also contributed to this production with voice recordings and other support. The game has been in development since the end of 2008 and has had the largest budget of all known Xbox Live Indie Games.

The player can get into the act with three different factions: The Consortium, the Outlaws and the Military. There are 9 different ships available which can be upgraded and expanded in any order through achievements from 11 missions. Among them are the ship classes Count, Interceptor and Bomber. Beside them there will be Destroyers and Battleships in the game who need to be protected or destroyed. ...

The update 1.3 for Babel Rising is now available for free on the AppStore. It provides a lot more content such as 2 new spells and a number of great abilities that will make you feel even more like a god.

iTunes link: http://bit.ly/BABEL_RISING_iPhone
Gameplay video: http://bit.ly/bsFhcl

The red lightning and the burning bush

DIVINE mode allows the player to trigger NEW POWERS on the heretics:
- The red infernal lightning replaces the finger of God. Electrify heretics instead of smash them? Yes, it’s even funnier
- This is summer, and to celebrate this, the Tower of Babel is becoming a great Barbecue. Thanks to the burning bush, you are now able to burn workers and watch them grilling…

New special abilities

Get amazing bonuses that will give the player even more power:
- Control time to stop the workers’ progress!
- Multiply your bonus score by 10 and get a better score than your friends!
- Completely reload a power in one go and release your divine punishment on the humans.

A propos de BABEL RISING
In BABEL RISING, you are God! And from the heights of sky, you see that men are agitating themselves… and building a tower. A tower? To climb up to your heights? How arrogant and impudent they are… Time has come to teach your creatures how small they are and how great you are! You will have to use of all your divine spells, and to prevent them from building the tower.
The game offers a new challenge: slowing down as much as possible the building of the Tower of Babel. Humans are flooding the bottom of the screen and bringing stones. Step by step, they build the stairs and go higher and higher. You have at your disposal six different spells. With the “finger of God” (actually yours), always available, you can crush one human at once. But this spell is not powerful enough to contain the flow of humans. You must then implement more powerful spells, but the loading time is also becoming longer and longer: lightning, tornado, fire from heaven, Tsunami and finally earthquake will have to be used in good coordination and wisely. How long could you hold for humans?

Screenshots / video / icon

Gameplay Video: http://bit.ly/bsFhcl ...

Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: ERTS) announced today that all new copies of NBA ELITE 11 will include a one-time download code that will enable users to access three modes of NBA JAM – Play Now, Classic Campaign and Online. Already set to revolutionize the way basketball simulation games are played with new Hands-On Control, the inclusion of the NBA JAM modes will make NBA ELITE 11 the ultimate basketball videogame experience available, on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, when it is released on October 5, 2010.

“NBA ELITE 11 is going to change the way basketball videogames are played,” says Jordan Edelstein, Vice President, Marketing, EA SPORTS, “The addition of three free downloadable modes of the award winning NBA JAM is an unprecedented value add to a product that is already set to revolutionize the basketball videogame category”

Winner of eight ‘Best Sports Game of E3’ awards, including the coveted Game Critics Award, NBA JAM has been optimized for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 to truly deliver a next-gen experience of the classic franchise. With Play Now, Classic Campaign, and Online modes included, the downloadable version of NBA JAM, that is available with purchases of NBA ELITE 11, will include a robust single player and multiplayer experience. NBA JAM allows fans to challenge the world, or their friends on the couch, with Online and Play Now, respectively, or climb from worst to first as they take their favorite NBA team through a ladder tournament through the league.

NBA ELITE 11 featuring three modes of NBA JAM will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system with an MSRP of $59.99. It is developed by EA Canada in Burnaby, B.C. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI. ...

2K Games announced today that Protector Trials*, an all-new single-player focused downloadable game add-on for BioShock® 2, is now available from the Xbox® LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 400 Microsoft Points,and from the PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system for $4.99. Protector Trials puts players back into the boots of the Big Daddy as he defends his Little Sister against swarms of corrupt Splicers who are hell-bent on stealing the precious ADAM that she gathers from corpses.

Protector Trials, the first single-player focused downloadable package and third in the series,contains many challenges featuring frantic combat and fast-paced action that are designed to push players’ mastery of weapons and Plasmids. The goal is simple, but tough to achieve: players must keep their Little Sister safe from the intense onslaught of Splicers as she gathers ADAM from corpses.

The pack includes:

Six new maps: three unique difficulty levels, each based on favorite locales from BioShock 2;
New unlockables, including never-before-seen concept art and videos;
Seven new Achievements/Trophies. ...

Bolt Creative today announced the official release of Pocket God issue #1, a comic book based on the best-selling iPhone app. The comic is immediately available for download for $0.99 with future issues also available for $0.99 through in-app purchases. The first issue of the four part, full color mini-series is currently available on the iTunes App Store and through iVerse Media, a digital distribution partner of Ape Entertainment.

Pocket God #1 showcases the mishaps of a tribe of Pygmies who have been gifted with immortality and are constantly marked for death by the Gods. Issue #1 starts off as a typical day on the island, with the Pygmies pranking each other to death, literally, until a twist turns their tropical life topsy-turvy. Follow the adventures of Ooga, Klik, and the rest of gang as they experience death by falling objects, sudden lightning strikes, sharks with laser beams, and more comical scenarios based off the popular app. Alien probing may or may not also be present.

“Pocket God has been a huge success on the iOS platform and we’re excited to bring the hilarity and fun to a whole new medium,” said Dave Castelnuovo, CEO of Bolt Creative. “We’re certain fans of the game will get a kick out of this new comic series and, vice versa, we can’t wait to show the comic world our universe full of death inducing satire.”

For more information about Pocket God, please visit www.boltcreative.com. ...

NaturalMotion, the game technology company behind the euphoria engine, today announced it has released a brand new free edition of Backbreaker Lite in collaboration with KFC and 4INFO’s Butter Solutions, the mobile media engagement experts. The new free update contains more content and additional functionality compared to the previous Lite version of the game.

For one month only, iPhone gamers will have access to 10 specially selected waves and a range of community tools which were previously only available in the paid-for version of Backbreaker Football. These include Facebook integration, an email bragging system and dedicated leaderboards.

A special KFC-themed touchdown celebration, animated by the team at NaturalMotion Games, has been added to the game. Successful waves will result in the player bursting into a signature chicken dance and strutting around the end zone in triumph.

The company is delighted to report that in the first few days since launch, the KFC-sponsored apps have already been downloaded over half a million times, with tens of thousands of new downloads every day.

“We are glad to be able to provide users with additional free content and functionality, thanks to our sponsorship relationship with 4INFO’s Butter Solutions and KFC”, said Torsten Reil, CEO of NaturalMotion. “Brand sponsorships of successful iPhone apps offer incredible reach, creating new opportunities for content providers, brands, and audiences alike.”

This free, special edition of Backbreaker Lite is available for download from the App Storesm now. The complete Backbreaker Football is available for 99c / 59p on the App Store. Backbreaker Football is also available on the AndroidTM Marketplace.

Link to Backbreaker Lite (App Store):
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/backb...341539900?mt=8

Link to Backbreaker Football (App Store):

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/backb...330281895?mt=8 ...

Flying Fish Works, Polish videogame developer announced today that their new product – Hellion®: Mystery of the Inquisition will feature 11 diverse and faithfully represented locations all over 13th Century Europe and Asia. To accompany these news, there’s also new locations trailer unveiled. Hellion®: Mystery of the Inquisition is in development for Xbox360, PlayStation 3 and PC platforms and is due out in 2011.

“We wanted the Hellion experience to be as diverse as possible right from the start” Maciej Kowalski, producer at Flying Fish Works said. “Our main character – Godric of Glastonbury – is a young inquisitor and he can travel to many interesting and mysterious places on his missions. We wanted to give the players opportunity to visit faithfully recreated landmarks in Spain, Italy, Germany, England and even Egypt, and I think our level designers did a great job. From painstakingly detailed Cathedral in Laon, through caves in Harz Mountains, English Cistercian Abbey, Templar castles and beyond – Godric’s adventure will get us to places never before seen in a videogame. This will be a true tour-de-force for our hero.”

New Hellion®: Mystery of the Inquisition trailer is available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAeApHHsrfY in Standard Definition
http://flyingfishworks.com/images/he...ns_trailer.wmv in High Definition

For more information about Hellion®: Mystery of the Inquisition, please visit the official website: www.hellion-game.com or follow our official profile on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/helliongame ...

Hot on the heels of their highly anticipated reunion, GRAMMY® award-winning rockers Soundgarden and Activision Publishing Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero®: Warriors of Rock will come together this September in a groundbreaking collaboration. With the launch of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, fans and gamers alike will get full access to the band’s all new 12-song career-spanning new album as downloadable content. Delivering fans original content exclusively playable in Guitar Hero®, axe shredders, drummers and fearless frontmen will also have the opportunity to rock out to “Black Rain,” the band’s amazing, all-new single, as part of the 90+ on-disc song selection of shredtastic rock music.

“We’re extremely excited to be collaborating with Soundgarden on this monumental moment in their music career,” said Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs for Guitar Hero. “Guitar Hero continues to break new ground by being the preeminent interactive platform for debuting original content and a stage for the biggest acts in all genres of rock and roll to reach new audiences in an all-new way.”

In addition, on 28th September A&M/UMe will be releasing three expanded versions of Telephantasm which will include a double-disc with 12 additional tracks, five of which are previously unreleased, and Soundgarden’s first-ever DVD, featuring 20 videos, 13 of which have never been released, a Deluxe 3-LP Vinyl Edition and an individually numbered Super Deluxe Collector’s Edition. The Super Deluxe Collector’s Edition will be available for a limited time and will include two CDs, the limited edition DVD, three heavy vinyl discs, a collectible poster, lithos, and much more. These three expanded versions will be available at all music retail outlets and on the band’s website.

In Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, join with friends on an epic rock journey to save rock. Featuring an impressive 90+ track set list and a host of all-new gameplay features, living room legends and their friends can strum, drum and wail in the most immersive music videogame experience to date. Delivering the quintessential rock music collection that focuses on guitar shredding hits from bands such as Black Sabbath, Slipknot and Megadeth and larger-than-life band anthems from Queen, Muse and KISS, players can unleash more rewards and unlockable content than ever before in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock’s Quest Mode, the franchise’s first ever story-based mode, and Quickplay+, which invites challenge-starved fanatics to test their rock skills. Running on the powerful Guitar Hero engine that has been expanded and refined and with encores from the critically-acclaimed and fan favourite gameplay features that made Guitar Hero one of the most popular franchises of all-time – such as Party Play, Competitive modes and any combination of up to four instruments – the game offers a complete interactive and connected experience bringing friends and foes to the stage in the ultimate rock music experience.

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and by Vicarious Visions for the WiiTM system from Nintendo. The game is not yet rated by PEGI. For more information about Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, please visit GuitarHero.com. ...