I read somewhere that hardcore EVE Online players have expressed doubt on CCP Games (the developers of EVE Online) latest PS3 title, DUST 514. The skepticism comes from the fact that the console title ties in to what generally known as one of the really hardcore MMOs available on the PC platform. Oh well, time will tell on whether such an integration would affect the gameplay experience on either game. In the meantime, check out the press release of the upcoming DUST 514:

CCP Games, the world’s leading independent developer of massively multiplayer games, has announced that DUST 514® will launch on May 14, 2013. The groundbreaking, free-to-play first-person-shooter launches on PlayStation®3, and players can join the war for galactic supremacy with the ease of a free download. As with CCP’s first game, EVE Online®, launch is only the beginning of the voyage with DUST 514.

Gamers can look forward to an ever-progressing game, built on the experience CCP has gathered over the past decade, as new features and upgrades are rolled out for years to come. The way to victory is now open to any intergalactic mercenary with the guns and grit to accept the challenge.

“Reaching this point has required many years, hundreds of CCP employees, and the engagement of millions of players who contributed fantastic feedback during the beta process,” said Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, CEO of CCP. “Now we start the real journey, which, decades from now, we will look back on with astonishment at all we accomplished. The EVE Universe will outlive us all.”

With the launch of DUST 514, the struggle for interstellar dominance in New Eden escalates as DUST mercenaries forge their path to glory. The power to topple empires will be in the hands of all who choose to seize it.  The game’s massive battlegrounds, deadly weapons, and futuristic vehicles form the foundation of the deep first-person shooter action that awaits, while unrivaled customization options allow players to shape their strategic advantage, tactical edge, and combat style with cunning and skill.

DUST 514 is also fully integrated with New Eden, the notorious setting of EVE Online, a massive game universe that recently surpassed a half-million subscribers worldwide. As DUST players wage war in this first-person shooter at unprecedented scale, the outcome of each ground battle impacts the persistent universe, shifting the tide of war for legions of participants.

Mercenaries can gain the advantage by coordinating with starship pilots in EVE Online, calling in devastating orbital strikes against opposing squads. The fortunes of DUST 514 players will rise and fall as they align themselves with like-minded warriors to make their mark across the EVE Universe.

Stay tuned to Nineoverten.com for more news on DUST 514, and do check out Sky TV UK which gives you unprecedented access to TV and Internet, just the thing you need to keep up to date to the gaming world.

Hehe…. one of our favourite comic book characters, Deadpool, is having some company in his upcoming video game for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC, aptly titled Deadpool. You see, the neurotic, or should I say, totally unhinged anti-hero, had a problem with sharing space with other superheroes/villains, but we have his therapist to thank as Mr. Sinister and uber hot fan-favourite Psylocke are making their way to the game as well. Check out what the man has to say about this:

A note from our friend Deadpool:

Sooo, uhhhh, APPARENTLY there are characters in my new upcoming Activision game, DEADPOOL, who are not Deadpool! Right??

I thought it was pretty clear when I said I wanted a true Deadpool game that it would star Deadpool…in every role! My star power shouldn’t be limited to the central protagonist. I should be playing the hero, the anti-hero, the villain who eventually changes sides to join forces against the TRUE villain (me), the romantic interest, the quirky best friend, the comic relief, and at least 8 other characters in fat suits! Is that too much to ask?!

But…I’ve been talking to my therapist…and she says it’s important that I not allow the existence of other people who are not me to determine my own self-worth. I just have to be the best unhinged mutant mercenary I can be. So, here’s a look at some of the…other…characters you can meet in DEADPOOL…

With the upcoming release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows this summer for the PC (via steam), Xbox Live Arcade and Sony Playstation Network, Activision Publishing, Inc. and Red Fly Studio are shining a light on each of the varied personas that make up this formidable team of half-shell heroes. Today the spotlight is on my favourite member of the turtles, Michelangelo.

Always ready with a punch and a punchline, the orange-draped Michelangelo puts a literal spin on the phrase “party animal.” He’s a fun-loving foodie with an appetite for goofing off instead of training. But despite his lighthearted tone and distaste for confrontation, Mikey is no less committed to the cause than his older brothers, whom he looks up to as role models.

True to his energetic and light personality, the nunchaku-wielding Michelangelo possesses by far the highest attack speed of any of his Turtle brethren, but also the lowest single target damage rating, standing in stark contrast to the more balanced stats of Leonardo. Mikey relies on his ability to evade damage and quickly build up combos and special moves to take down foes before they can return the favor.

For more information on the game, head over to the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/TMNTOutOfTheShadows and be sure to stick to Nineoverten.com for more news on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.

This is something to look up to for Resident Evil Revelations fans, as the upcoming May 2013 title for the Xbox 360,  PS3, Wii U and PC will feature Rachel as a playable character in the Raid Mode portion of the game. The additions of Rachel and Hunk as playable characters in Raid Mode are just a couple of new features implemented into the console and PC versions of the game.

New content previously confirmed includes: extra ‘Infernal’ difficulty mode, integration with Residentevil.net, the Wall Blister enemy, and Raid mode improvements.

Did you know that the Japanese translation for the old DuckTales game for the NES literally meant “Naughty Ducks Dream Adventures“? Well the naughty ducks from the beloved cartoon get to continue their video game shenanigans in the 21st century with DuckTales Remastered developed for Capcom by the team at WayForward.

This Disney Interactive title is scheduled to be released digitally on Xbox Live Arcade for the Xbox 360, Sony PSN for the PS3 and the Wii U this summer. According to the press release, DuckTales Remastered has seen the development team take the levels and layout from the original 1989 release as a foundation before expanding upon them to significantly enhance the gameplay experience but where this update truly impresses is its graphics and sound.

All of the visuals from the 8-bit game have been beautifully re-created as hand-drawn and animated sprites, across a backdrop of luscious, re-envisioned level backgrounds. Furthermore, original Disney Character Voices talent, including some from the cartoon TV series, bring in-game characters to life with charm and wit, while the classic melodies of the original soundtrack are given a modern twist.

Further additions to the original include an all new tutorial level where players can get familiar with the iconic pogo jump and cane swing; while Scrooge McDuck’s Museum allows players to track all their stats and compare their progress with others via global leaderboards.

Remember the Thai movie Ong Bak? It was memorable for its over-the-top action scenes and the movie’s star Tony Jaa was hailed as the next big thing in the martial arts film industry. The guy is now back, this time lending his likeness in a brand new action game developed by STUDIO HIVE that will be released this year on the PC, iOS, Android, PSN and XBLA.

Titled Ong Bak Tri, it’s being released to celebrate the fourth movie of the Ong Bak franchise which will be released in 2013 as well. The developers have worked closely with movie director Thossaporn Poonnart as well as the creator and main choreographer of Ong Bak, Panna Rittikrai. Made using the Unity Engine and utilizing a 2.5D perspective, check out the screenshots below to see how beautiful looking this game is:

Stay tuned to Nineoverten.com for news as and when the game is released.

OK, this is too weird: Watching the Joker laying the beatdown on Lex Luthor. Well, anything can happen in video games and this is the result of the Joker vs Lex Luthor match up in the Injustice Battle Arena Fight Video available right here:

From the video you get to watch the Joker use a shiv, a crowbar, a pistol, a pie, gasoline and a bazooka among other things, to defeat Lex Luthor who has electric mines, a satellite that goes thermonuclear on the Joker and the frigging battle suit that I mentioned earlier. All these Super Hero beat-em-ups tend to yield less than satisfying results, so it remains to be seen whether Injustice: Gods Among Us would bring anything different to the table.

OK, this is pretty crazy. I missed playing Last_Defender, a Tower Defense title that I reviewed recently for just one day (review here), and I got creamed within the first 20 waves of creeps in my first attempt this morning. Some folks may say that “practice makes perfect”, but having played the game a lot since my daughter’s birth, I had to ask myself: “Hey man, it’s just a one day break and you are getting the crap kicked out of you?”.

Case in my point, if I were to have a pick-up game of badminton with my mum now, who played at state and national level when she was younger, I’m still gonna get creamed despite her not picking up the racquet in YEARS. Probably my substantial hours on Last_Defender still isn’t enough for me to not get pwned (or probably the sheer lack of talent for TD games), but this brings us to the next question, what do you do having gone through the jaws of defeat?

I used to play a lot of strategy games back when I was in college. The Command and Conquer franchise, the Heroes of Might & Magic series and StarCraft to name a few and depending on the amount of time invested, the longer it took me to get back into a game whenever I got pwned in a level. It wasn’t uncommon for me to take a two week break from Red Alert 2 after a particularly tough final level engagement with the Reds (damn that Iron Curtain).

More recently, mid-campaign engagement with the Tau in Dawn of War 2 was enough to put me off the game entirely, simply because their long-range lasers questioned my commitment to heavy bolters. Games like Torchlight and Diablo made it easier to get back into the game despite the time invested, simply because they don’t set you back by much. The penalty is often just an XP/gold dock and you get resurrected from the point where your character was slain.

“Haven’t you heard of the “Quick Save” function, boy?” You may ask me that question but who the heck remembers to press the proper function key while you are busy (trying to) execute the demise of NOD/the Soviets/those darn Protoss/etc etc. It used to be the incentive to continue fighting would be the story, but then again, StarCraft II aside, there’s not much to fight for, not in the spoiler-filled environment of the Internet (praise be to YouTube). And I’ve never been a completist in the first place.

But if there’s one recent development that has proven to be an incentive of sorts for finishing a game, it would be Achievements. Almost every major platform (bar Nintendo) has them, and my Raptr profile’s list of Steam achievements is something that I’m proud of, that and the number of hours I’ve spent in Torchlight 2. Achievements played a role in me finishing Torchlight 2 (review here), AND replaying the game again, to completion, in the NG+ mode. There are a crazy amount of Achievements in the game, some of which will require multiple play-throughs to finish.

You can say that I’ve gone from not being a completist, to an Achievements fiend, and it has an unintended effect of me finishing games. I do still take breaks from time to time though. The level that I found too tough in Stealth Bastard Deluxe was surprisingly easy a week later. No amount of achievements would have persuaded me to continue and I chalked it up with fatigue after blitzing through level after level of jumping and sneaking around.

So, enough of me, what about you? What drives you to complete a game? I’m going to go play a game of RAD Troopers on the iPad..

Remember when we first mentioned about the London Games Festival Art Exhibition? Guess what, the entire collection from the exhibition will be auctioned off for the benefit of SpecialEffect. SpecialEffect is a unique charity doing whatever it takes to help everyone with disabilities to have a better quality of life through games, art and technology.

The exhibition – which was the centrepiece of the month-long London Games Festival 2012 funded by Ukie – saw over 100 pieces of art displayed at London’s City Hall, in an event supported by the Mayor of London.

Rare and never-before-seen pieces from games such as Batman: Arkham City from London-based developer Rocksteady Studios were hung proudly beside pieces from legendary artists such as Yuji Uekawa and Yoji Shinkawa in an exhibition which celebrated the culture of videogames and London’s contribution to it.

The collection will be made available to bid on in four batches, with the first going online now, with a further three batches featuring art from the exhibition being added to the auction every Monday until the 3^rd of December. Included in the initial batch are three signed pieces from Batman: Arkham City, two Fable 3 pieces signed by Peter Molyneux and the artists, a signed Metal Gear Solid ‘Raiden’ canvass, plus pieces from Tomb Raider, Dishonored, Moshi Monsters and Runescape, among many others.

“We were absolutely overwhelmed with the number of people that came to the exhibition,” says Kirsty Payne, festival director, London Games Festival. “People from all walks of life – those who played games, and those who didn’t – travelled far and wide to appreciate the phenomenal pieces of art which have been kindly donated by the industry.

“We were also immensely gratified by how everyone reacted when we showed them the work that SpecialEffect does – and we’re incredibly excited about the potential this auction has. Amazing, one-of-a-kind pieces, with all proceeds going to this amazing charity. Not only is it going to be a good Christmas for the winning bidders, but for those who benefit from SpecialEffect’s brilliant work too.” (see more about SpecialEffect here http://www.specialeffect.org.uk )

The London Games Art auction is taking place for the next four weeks from today at www.londongamesart.com, with additional pieces of art from the exhibition being added every Monday until the 3^rd of December.

As part of the London Games Festival, a free week-long exhibition showcasing the very best of videogame art is to be held at City Hall next week starting from midday Monday 22nd and running through until 6.00 p.m. on Friday 26th. The Games Art Exhibition is set to be the first time that videogames have appeared at the home of the Greater London Authority.

The public will have the chance to enjoy a uniquely curated art exhibition in an exclusive setting in which exclusive visuals from some of the best games ever made will be on display, with the collection being auctioned for charity. London-based developer Rocksteady Studios has donated some stunning Batman: Arkham City canvases, whilst publisher Bethesda has commissioned its Dishonored artists to produce an exclusive London vista.

Other work on display includes pieces from Mind Candy, Sports Interactive, Lionhead – with a special appearance from Konami as part of the Metal Gear Solid 25^th anniversary celebrations. The games industry was valued at close to £3 billion last year, thanks to the success of companies like Rocksteady, Sports Interactive, Mind Candy and MediaTonic, to name but a few.

“The UK’s digital economy is clustered in London and the emergence of Tech City shows there is capacity for growth,” says Munira Mirza, Deputy Mayor for Education and Culture. “The games industry makes a huge contribution to the London economy, with a wealth of creative and entrepreneurial talent, whose work and influence often goes beyond the games sector.”

The City Hall exhibition is one of dozens of events featured in the London Games Festival, which range from massive consumer exhibitions and game launches to careers fairs and educational summits. The festival celebrates and promotes the culture of games and interactive entertainment to the wider public and showcases the creative talent and skills that we have in the UK games industry.

From console blockbusters to innovative web and smartphone games, London leads the way in interactive entertainment, which is a real British success story. It is big business and earns enormous revenue for London and the UK, and creates jobs and growth.

“This prestigious art exhibition at the home of the Mayor of London is an illustration of how the city is embracing the London Games Festival,” adds Dr Jo Twist, CEO, Ukie. “It’s brilliant to see gaming being recognised and celebrated as a valuable cultural contributor, and we hope as many people as possible take this unique opportunity to head to City Hall to see this wonderful collection.”

Pieces from the collection will be available to buy via auction throughout the exhibition, with all proceeds going to SpecialEffect, a unique charity doing whatever it takes to help everyone with disabilities to have a better quality of life through games, art and technology. For more information visit www.londongamesart.com and www.specialeffect.org.uk

The Games Art Exhibition opens at midday on Monday 22^nd October 2012 until 6:00pm, Friday 26^th October. Opening times for the rest of the week are 9:00am – 6:00pm. It is free to attend.