Monthly Archives: May 2015

Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves Brings New Adventures for All

Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves Brings New Adventures for All

Bungie and Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), announced today that Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves is now available for download on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One and Xbox 360. Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves marks the second official expansion to the Destiny universe that adds a wealth of new weapons, armor and gear to earn in new story missions and quests, three new competitive multiplayer maps and a new co-op Strike. In addition, the expansion welcomes new activities to Destiny with the introduction of a brand-new competitive multiplayer event in the Crucible called Trials of Osiris, and a brand new co-op arena activity called the Prison of Elders.
 

“We continue to be humbled by the Destiny community, and remain fully committed to creating the best experience we can for the fans,” said Pete Parsons, COO of Bungie. “That means we’re listening every day to real-time feedback from the players. In the eight months since launch, we’ve supported the game with 17 updates that we believe have grown and improved the universe. House of Wolves is no different. For example, we’ve engineered a new upgrade path for your existing Exotic and Legendary gear, and we’re revamping our PvP system with a new rewards system and new PvP event called Trials of Osiris. We’re excited to see the response.”

 

Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves features the following:

  • New Co-op Arena Activity – Set in the Prison of Elders, teams of three players can take on waves of increasingly difficult enemies to earn high-level legendary and exotic rewards.
  • New Competitive Multiplayer Event – The Trials of Osiris is a brand new, weekly 3v3 elimination event where power levels matter.
  • New Loot and Customizations – Earn new weapons, armor, and gear, including Legendary, Exotic, Faction and Fallen-themed items.
  • Level Increase – Raise your Light Level to 34, including the introduction of gear ascension to increase the maximum level of previously earned Legendary and Exotic weapons and armor.
  • New Story Missions and Quests – Take on new adventures through new missions and quests featuring Petra Venj of the Queensguard and Variks, a Fallen loyal to the Queen.
  • New Social Space – Visit a brand new space in The Reef, set within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter,with new vendors offering unique rewards, new bounties and more.
  • New Strike: The Shadow Thief – Journey to the Moon and hunt down a notoriously cutthroat Fallen mercenary named Taniks.
  • New Competitive Multiplayer Maps:
    • o Black Shield – a decommissioned Firebase is believed to have been a key defensive position used by the Cabal when they established their warbase on Mars
    • o Thieves’ Den – a Fallen hideout located in the calderas of Venus with precarious drops that offer alternate routes for those willing to risk the fall
    • o Widow’s Court – an asymmetrical map with both long sightlines and tight interiors, set in the European Dead Zone on Earth
  • PlayStation® Exclusive Content* – PlayStation® gamers will also get access to a fourth competitive multiplayer map, Timekeeper, which is set within a mysterious clockwork-like structure on Mars built by the Vex. *Timed exclusive until at least Fall 2015

 
Players can purchase Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves**individually ($19.99), or as part of the Destiny Expansion Pass** ($34.99), which includes both Expansion I and Expansion II, on PlayStation®4 system, PlayStation®3 system, Xbox One, and Xbox 360. **Destiny game required to play, sold separately.

 
As an added bonus for all players of the game, the competitive multiplayer maps from Destiny Expansion I: The Dark Below are now available for everyone.

Empire Siege

Empire Siege is a mobile RTS developed by Elex. Using touch screen commands Empire Siege recreates all the real-time strategic gameplay found in PC RTS titles with scaled down controls.

Features:

Feature-rich gameplay: Take command of gatling crossbow towers, to fireball shooting catapults, to heroes with abilities.

Realistic Classical Design: Enjoy classical empire style art and game design, REALISTIC city building.

Heroes: All heroes have unique abilities. Pair them up with regular troops to enhance their combat prowess.

Conquer the world: Battle against other players online from across the globe.

BlazBlue: Battle Cards Mobile Game Released on iPad

BlazBlue: Battle Cards Mobile Game Released on iPad

Alliance Distributors Holding Inc. (Pink Sheets: ADTR), a distributor, developer and publisher of interactive video games and gaming products, announced today its Alliance Digital Media® unit, in partnership with BlazBlue creator Arc System Works and Aksys Games, has released BlazBlue: Battle CardsTM for the iPad®.
 
The app captures the excitement and epic intensity of the BlazBlue brand and its roster of fighters in a dynamic multiplayer card combat game. The app allows players to choose their warrior from one of nine iconic BlazBlue characters; build their deck from a wide range of attacks and special moves, and then go head-to-head online against other players through the built-in matchmaking, ranking and leader board system.
 
Jay Gelman, CEO of Alliance said “We are very excited to be able to bring the BlazBlue experience to the mobile space with our introduction of BlazBlue: Battle Cards. Our development team at Alliance headed up by Matt Sughrue has done a great job translating the exciting and challenging BlazBlue experience to a multiplayer card combat game. We want to thank both Aksys and Arc who have been extremely supportive of all our development efforts. Their cooperation in each phase of the process was integral to bringing the game to the market. We look forward to a very successful launch.”
 
Akibo Shieh, CEO of Aksys Games, states, “Aksys Games is proud to have Alliance participate in our partnership with Arc System Works to help expand the BlazBlue franchise to a new medium. We are excited for the release of BlazBlue: Battle Cards and hope to bring the BlazBlue universe to new users as well as give those familiar with the franchise a fresh, new experience to enjoy!”
 
Toshimichi Mori, creator of BlazBlue said, “I was really surprised to find out that a card game based on BlazBlue was being made (and outside of Japan, as well!), but I’m really happy and grateful that BlazBlue is going to be available on mobile platforms!
 
I’m hoping that BlazBlue: Battle Cards will provide an opportunity for more people in the US to enjoy the amazing characters and the lore of BlazBlue. It’d be great if you can give the original fighting game a shot while at it, too!”

Blockstorm

Blockstorm is voxel-based FPS game developed by indie studio Indiegala. In a world made of destrucible blocks, players can customize their world and weapons piece by piece. Players can build everything in Blockstorm and then destory it.

Features:

In-game editor: Fully customize your game and quickly share your experience with other players

Free creation: Create your own maps and characters from scratch or to customize existing ones.

Several weapons: Weapons range from precise rifles to heavy machine guns or even explosives capable of destroying hiding places and creating tactical advantages.

Five modes: Enjoy Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Assault, Capture the Flag and Castle Battle

Warhammer 40k: Eternal Crusade Reveals Ambitious Open World System

Behaviour has revealed an ambitious plan for their upcoming sandbox MMOFPS, Warhammer 40k: Eternal Crusade, detailing how matches deciding control of territory and resources will play out. While to understand the full details of the system, it’s best to check out the extensive overview below, we’ll do our best to sum it up for you.

 

 

The core concept is that Warhammer 40k: EC’s factions will vie for control of a 16x16km open world connected continent. These battles will be dynamically generated based on the terrain layout of the zone to create the potential for up to and beyond 120 unique battlegrounds for battalions to duel over.

EternalCrusadeOpenWorldMass

Depending on the number of players contesting the zone, these battles will be fought over lesser outposts in 100 man skirmishes. If the invading force can successfully take two outposts, a new stronghold battle will unlock with much heftier defender bonus structures in place. If the assaulting force takes over the stronghold, the entire zone will swap hands to the assaulting team.

Beyond launch and as the playerbase hopefully rises, Behaviour intends to remove the artificial segregation between zones during battles to open up much larger 200-500 player battles for control over an entire territory or even multiple territories at one time.

Eternal Crusade Open World

For more information on the various factions and continued development of Warhammer 40k: Eternal Crusade, check out the official website.

Umbra Gets Greenlit and Passes 50% Kickstarter Funding

Umbra Gets Greenlit and Passes 50% Kickstarter Funding

SolarFall Games is today celebrating Umbra** being Greenlit by the Steam community and surpassing the 50% funding mark, on their Kickstarter, in just 5 days!
 
“We’ve been knocked off of our feet by the incredibly positive reaction received for Umbra!  To say that we’re humbled, at hitting such a significant milestone in funding and being Greenlit so fast, is an understatement” said Daniel Dolui, Lead Programmer and Game Director at SolarFall Games. “We still have a long way to go, but with your support we can make our game a reality!”
 
Umbra is an open world action-RPG taking place in a corrupted world that is falling apart. You are a former soldier, forced to flee the death penalty because of your magic powers. Being tracked down by humans and hunted by the monsters of the Wild, you are recruited by a mysterious group of Templars, and thus your epic adventure begins…
 
Currently Umbra’s funding is now over $115,000, with 26 days to go on the campaign.  There’s still time to back the CryEngine3 based hack ‘n’ slash RPG.

Victory Command Launches Onto Steam’s Early Access

PlayGrid Games along with world renowned developer Petroglyph announced today that Victory Command is available now on Steam Early Access. The first of its kind, military MOBA (Multiplayer Online Based Arena), Victory Command fuses the battle mode style of DotA with the electrifying military tactics in World of Tanks, creating a thrilling gaming experience for every player. Moving beyond the standard three-lane MOBA formula, Victory Command adds RTS (Real-Time Strategy) controls in an open field of play and engages enemies with large-scale strategies.

 

 

Victory Command players will simultaneously command multiple units of armored, recon, and infantry units to engage in 5v5 team combat. They embark on their military career given just basic companies, and then improve their troops and arsenal by earning experience points that they can use to upgrade their company and obtain special abilities and skills. Combining the cooperation and competition of battle arena games with strategic gameplay on an open field, players can flank, ambush and trap their opponents to achieve victory. This unique military MOBA is full of additional ways to surprise and destroy opponents.

 
Victory Command Early Access
 

Victory Command Key Features:

  • Fast-paced 5v5 multi-player military MOBA where each player controls one of 15 customizable companies of 2 to 12 units each, enabling them to devise and execute intricate team-based strategies.
  • The game’s open field battle arena allows for fluid gameplay across any part of the map – not just three lanes – providing distinctive match structures and play mechanics.
  • Multiple maps bring to life a variety of terrains which can work to your advantage or disadvantage. These features include: line-of-sight, brush, heavy cover, vantage points, infantry-only paths, water features, and more.
  • Every company has a set of Company Abilities to choose from, providing game-changing offensive and defensive actions including airstrikes, anti-weapon gas, ensnare, napalm strike, unit tracking and many more.
  • Players can strategically mix and match units in hundreds of ways within their company to create a custom tactical force.
  • Play in short, frenetic matches to earn experience, improve stats, unlock new skills, and gain powerful abilities with different unit types.
  • Victory Command will have a stream of continuous updates with new content rolling out regularly.

 

Need more info? Ragachak will be sharing his thoughts on the beta test that led up to early access later this morning!

Plarium Launches Nords: Heroes of the North

Plarium Launches Nords: Heroes of the North
Plarium, one of the world’s fastest growing developers of social and mobile games, just today announced the worldwide release of the massively multi-player online strategy game Nords: Heroes of the North, for Facebook. Nords is set in the fantasy world of Shingård where players lead an army of Elves, Dragons, Northmen and Orcs who have set aside their differences to defend their land against an evil Ice Queen and her swarm of the undead as they aim to conquer the world.
 
Along with Plarium’s signature MMO Strategy gameplay fans have come to expect, Nords features never-before-seen in-game 3D battle animation and all-new RPG features. Plarium has enlisted top-tier professional voiceover talent, including Patrick Warburton (known for his role as Joe Swanson in “Family Guy”), and legendary voice actor Jason Canning as Skald the Bard to bring the humor, high adventure and irreverence that Nords will be offering players worldwide.
 
Nords is Plarium’s most innovative and ambitious project to date as we are offering more than just strategy and the type of gameplay our fans expect from us,” said Avi Shalel, Plarium’s Chief Executive Officer. “In many ways, Nords is a new venture for us because we are taking ourselves less seriously and are releasing a game that is as funny as it is charming, with new features and added focus to our RPG systems.”
 
Nords: Heroes of the North is translated and voiced in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Italian and German. It is now available on Facebook at the link here: https://apps.facebook.com/nordsheroes/