Nine Over Ten 9/10

I always take heart to indie developers who go out on a limb to provide free versions of their releases in order to get more people to experience the games. The guys over at Kameleon Project have done so by providing a free version of Conquest! Medieval Realms called Conquest! Medieval Realms Lite. Check ou the press release below for details, but if you want to skip all that and download the game, click here.

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Latest Kameleon Project effort gets free lite edition after successful launch
CONQUEST ! MEDIEVAL REALMS LITE RELEASED

Slitherine and Illustrious Software are proud to announce the release of a free downloadable version of Conquest ! Medieval Realms.  Conquest! is the brand new puzzle/strategy game from Slitherine packed with hours and hours of clever fun-packed, brain-bending strategy gaming. Hot on the heels of the games release comes the free lite version because until you’ve played this game you won’t believe how addictive it is! All this for only £11.99.

The lite version includes two randomly generated skirmish maps and a limited feature set, whilst the full game includes billions of random maps, 2 complete campaigns, 8 player multiplayer and a scenario and campaign editor.

Conquest was developed by Illustrious Software and has been released through Slitherine Software’s Kameleon Project, the scheme set up by Slitherine to help indie developers bring their games to market. This is the 3rd game to come through the Kameleon Project with many more to follow.

Features
•    Conquest! is a simple game to learn, but you will need strategy, tactics and cunning if you expect to defeat all of your enemies and rule the world.
•    Play games with up to 8 human players across a LAN or the internet.
•    Try your skill against 5 levels of AI in the campaign or skirmish modes.
•    Randomly generated maps give you billions of potential battlefields to fight on.
•    Use the included editors to create your own maps and campaigns
•    Play as the English or the French in the Hundred Years War, or fight the Wars of the Roses.

Download the free lite version from http://www.slitherine.com/files/conquest/conquest_lite.exe

For more information or to buy the full game, go to http://www.slitherine.com/games/conquest_pc

[About Slitherine] -  Slitherine is a privately funded company operating in the entertainment business with a core mission to deliver history-based products to the widest possible audience. Slitherine’s main focus is publishing and developing  videogame, however Slitherine  is also involved with book publishing, internet, board games and a wide array of consultancies to third parties. Slitherine is at the forefront of delivering entertainment through history and history through entertainment.

Founded by Wargaming world champions JD and Iain McNeil, the company works with key partners such as HISTORY, MILITARY HISTORY, Horrible Histories, Osprey, Scholastic, Casemate Publishing and many others to deliver the best blend of historical accuracy in an exciting and entertaining way.Internet site - www.slitherine.com

[About The Kameleon Project] - The Kameleon Project is the brainchild of Slitherine Software, itself an independently funded developer and publisher. It has been created to assist other independent developers to bring their games to market.

Slitherine supplies marketing and PR support, external production (music, sound effects, box art etc), game design, technical support, pro-forma documentation, sales and negotiating expertise and in fact anything needed to progress the development of the projects, allowing the development team to concentrate on what they do well, make great games. The first release from the Kameleon Project is ‘Commanders – Europe at War’ from Firepower Entertainment and DoubleThink Studios.

[About  Illustrious Software] - Illustrious software is a UK-based independent game developer. We focus on making games which are fun to play, easily accessible and able to be enjoyed by everyone. As an independent developer we are able to put our effort into gameplay and innovation, and into making the kind of games people will want to play.

Ever wondered why ever so often Korean edition video game titles for the Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3 end up in the bargain bin? If you find yourself asking that, then it’s time for a history lesson.

The Korean peninsula was under Japanese colonial rule from 1910 and it wasn’t until Japan’s defeat in World War II that Korea emerged as an independent nation. The colonization of Korea by Japan left some pretty deep seated animosity and there was a ban in Korea on what we consider now as staple items: Japanese music, movies, manga and even video games consoles.

The ban was only lifted in 1998, and as a result, a generation grew up so near to Japan but yet uninfluenced by the likes of SEGA, Nintendo and Sony. Instead, they turn to PC gaming, creating world class players who not only excel in games like Starcraft and Warcraft, but also are celebrities in their own right, rivalling pop stars such as Rain and BoA.

With not much rep to build on and a nation preoccupied with PCs and PC bangs (Internet Cafes), it’s no wonder that console gaming is pretty sluggish in Korea. And while the big two (Microsoft and Sony) are releasing Korean editions of current gen-titles, what’s a retailer to do when there’s no one buying the titles? Why, put them in the bargain bin, of course!

Online retailers like Play-Asia have a number of ENGLISH language console titles released for the Korean market sitting in their bargain-bin section. Examples of Playstation 3 titles you can get at half of their US counterparts’ price (or any other region for that matter) include:

• Fear 2: Project Origin (USD 29.90) ~ Click here for details
• FolksSoul (USD 24.90) ~ Click here for details
• Fallout 3 (USD 29.90) ~ Click here for details
• Motorstorm (USD 19.90) ~ Click here for details

Not to be left out, here are a bunch of Korean (but English language) Xbox 360 titles selling cheaper than their US counterparts:

• Prince of Persia (USD 16.90 - NTSC-J Console Only)  ~ Click here for details
• Viva Pinata (USD 14.90 - Region Free) ~ Click here for details
• Half-Life 2: The Orange Box (USD 14.90 ~ Region Free) ~ Click here for details

So, if you are a price conscious gamer who doesn’t mind some foreign looking words on your video game covers, it’s probably time you check out the Korean aisle. Check out Play-Asia’s Korean offerings for the PS3 and the Xbox 360.

I had my relatives from the States over last night for a durian party. 60 kilos of the fruit were consumed, I’m already in danger of getting a bloody nose while typing this post.

Anyways, my two cousins didn’t join in on the feast, choosing instead to play games on my PS3. Strangely, they seem to play games (Terminator Salvation and Ninja Gaiden) like how ducks take to water, despite not owning a console back home. Hmm…Impressive.

But they did get the tag “white kids don’t eat durian” from my grandfather. Haha. On the contrary they are just ABC, American Born Chinese :).

I’m actually quite surprised that DOOM Resurrection for the iPhone turned-out to be a House-of-the-Dead kind of shooter, you know, like the one that you find in arcades.

Basically a linear, on-rails shooter, you don’t get much control on where you are heading, but once you bump into those nasties (staple stuff if you have played Doom 3), you are supposed to tilt the iPhone/iPod Touch to aim and fire away.

I doubt that many would take up to the kind of control scheme offered in John Carmack’s latest game, but at the end of the day, it was probably done to keep the game running at a decent frame rate. The buttons to reload, duck, change weapons and shoot are assigned to the four corners of the iPhone.

Talking bout frame rates, one key area that received lavish attention is the graphics; it’s really like having the desktop version of DOOM 3 in the palm of your hand. Everything looks so crisp, and while some enemies suffer from lower res textures, Doom Resurrection puts every other 3D iPhone game in the shed.

Guiding you through the game is a flying robot owned by a scientist encountered early in the game. And as far as I recall, DOOM Resurrection contains a whole lot more dialogue (done through static cutscenes, ala Phoenix Wright) compared to its PC predecessor.

The linear gameplay does spring up some annoying suprises, as the game tends to place you right in the middle of a room, directly in front one of those nasties. Or have one of them appear right behind you and you’ll get a mandatory stomping when you turn around. Along with those cheap tricks, the game does provide a sense of horror, especially when you have them nasties coming out from the dark areas of the screen (there’s an overbright option should you feel chicken).

Having said all that, DOOM Resurrection provides an experience like no other on the iPod Touch/iPhone, so if you have 10 bucks to spare, do check it out! Click here to purchase and download DOOM Resurrection from the App Store.

It’s not everyday you come across a bargain like this. Super Robot Taisen K for the Nintendo DS is selling at a discounted price of USD 24.90, down from the usual price of USD 64.90. Check it out over here.

I love Tron 2.0. I mean what other game would cast you as a software program (albeit an unwitting one) destroying viruses and corrupted files with a digital frisbee no less. But there’s another side to the game that appeals to me more. Repeat after me: lightcycles.

Now, as much as I would to port the game over to the iPhone and play lightcycles on a lazy Sunday afternoon on the mobile device, the technical challenges are insurmountable. So what’s a guy with an iPhone and a yearning for some lightcycle action to do?

Why, download Light Bike from Apple’s App Store for both the iPhone and iPod Touch, of course. The premise of the game is pretty simple, actually, more like a copy cat of Tron 2.0’s lightcycle game mode. Basically you get to race your Light Bike against 3 AI opponents, and while there are no power-ups like its PC inspiration, there’s a handy boost button.

You chalk up wins by causing your opponents to crash into your trail of light (it’s more fun in practice compared to being described in words, try it!). Now, here’s the even fun part, two players can take to the game on a single iPhone by sharing half the screen each!

Light Bikes is a pretty simple game, and like most casual games on the iPhone, best played in short bursts. So be sure to check it out on the App Store.

Looks like the guys behind the million selling iPhone game, Flick Fishing, are back at it again. Freeverse has announced the release of Warpack: Grunts on Apple’s App Store. Available starting today for both the iPhone and iPod Touch, Warpack: Grunts is a squad based shooter which, after viewing the tutorial video, kinda reminded me of Cannon Fodder meets Jagged Alliance.

Check out the following press release, and if you have not viewed the video, click here.

FREEVERSE RELEASES WARPACK: GRUNTS BY STRANGE FLAVOUR ON APPLE APP STORE

Exciting New Game Available for Download on iPhone and iPod touch

BROOKLYN, NY - June 29, 2009 — Freeverse, Inc., a leading developer and publisher of games for iPhone and iPod touch, today announced the release of the fun new game Warpack: Grunts from UK partner company Strange Flavour. This pick-up-and-play squad based shooter springs to life on iPhone and iPod touch with colorful art, addictive gameplay, extensive content and iPhone OS 3.0 exclusive features!

Players control a squad of four soldiers as they seek to complete 40 levels of explosive missions, from grenade-bombing the enemy, sniping the main antagonist Evil Dude, to commandeering tanks and helicopters. With four difficulty modes, online highscores for campaigns, and unlockable levels, Warpack: Grunts is chock full of fun for everyone! Taking advantage of the newest iPhone OS 3.0, Grunts will also feature iPod library access for a personalized and unique game experience.

“Grunts is an amazing and exciting game that works seamlessly with your own iPod library, and we’re thrilled to be releasing it with the newest iPhone OS 3.0,” Ian Lynch Smith, President of Freeverse said.

Warpack: Grunts application is available from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch at http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=319706910&mt=8

More information can be found at Freeverse’s Grunts site: http://freeverse.com/games/game/?id=9005

Social Media Links
Follow Freeverse on Twitter: www.twitter.com/freeverse
Read the Freeverse development blog: http://dev2.freeverse.com/monkeyblog/

About Freeverse:
Freeverse strives to develop and publish seamless software, with a particular concentration on the Mac and iPhone platforms. Our developed and published titles have been honored with more Apple Design Awards than any other company. With 2 of the Top 10 paid iPhone Apps of All-Time, Freeverse is at the forefront of creating compelling, cutting edge games. Headquartered in New York City, Freeverse draws upon the talents of artists, programmers and sound designers from around the globe

Looks like there’s a new King of Fighters XII trailer out, titled  Triumph of Combat. Check it out below, in HD (no less!):

What a fine mess we have here in Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. It would have seemed that director Michael Bay heard the criticsm regarding the first film focusing too much on meatbags, I mean, humans, and proceeded to craft an opus featuring robots, robots and even more robots, with the maligned humans providing comic relief and drama amidst the heavy metal grinding.

The movie has its highs, but many lows to accompany them as well. Michael Bay can provide the best and the worst of robot combat; the best being the fight in the woods featuring Optimus Prime, to the worst was the long drawn out finale.

Marvels of CGI as they are, the Autobots and Decepticons, being “Bayformers”, aren’t pretty to look at. Staring at them for 2 and a half hours is headache inducing, which if you happen to experience, will turn to be excrutiating due the paper thin plot. I bet all those anonymous Decepticons would be unhappy they were not even listed in the “Extras” category.

It’s pretty disappointing to see that directors can no longer tell a story on the silver screen without the need to put out books, comic books and even websites to serve as “primer” to the film’s “paint”. If you haven’t read the comics, you wouldn’t know who the heck this The Fallen character is, and why a bad-ass like Megatron would be calling him master, among other things.

Bay fans will find themselves in familiar ground, with explosions and stuff blowing up (including an aircraft  carrier) , and this is what the Transformers franchise is heading to…the generic ka-boom fest thinly disguised as Hasbro advertisements.

Comment of the night - Me: That movie was full of metal. Girlfriend: Yeah, scrap metal.

The King of Pop is dead, at the age of 50, from undisclosed circumstances. He brought us hits such as Billy Jean, Remember the Time, Bad and many more, and even made dancing cool on the video games scene way before Dance Dance Revolution came by. Check out the video for Moonwalker (Sega Genesis) below:

He’ll be sorely missed, but his music will live on for many many years on the airwaves and on the Internet. RIP Michael Jackson.