Best-selling Castlevania epic swings on to PC in August

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced that its acclaimed Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will be released for Windows PC in an Ultimate Edition in August via both physical and digital means.

A stunning sales success since its launch on PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360®, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a dark and vivid reimagining of the Castlevania mythology. The PC edition features the full game and two add-on chapters, and will be available across Europe to download via Steam on August 27^th, with a boxed product following on August 29^th/30^th.

The stunning 3D epic is set at the end of days and dark powers isolate the Earth. The World’s alliance with the Heavens has been threatened by a dark and malevolent force – the eponymous Lords of Shadow. Across this shattered land, the souls of the dead wander unable to find peace, whilst creatures of evil wreak chaos and death upon the living.

Enter Gabriel Belmont: a member of the Brotherhood of Light, an elite group of holy knights who protect and defend the innocent against the supernatural. His beloved wife was brutally murdered by evil forces and her soul trapped for eternity. Neither living nor dead, she foresees the horrific truth of what is at stake and guides Gabriel to his destiny – and hopefully salvation for the world.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Ultimate Edition boasts a number of key advances:

• New Features: The Ultimate Edition offers the original full game plus add-on content: Reverie and Resurrection. It also boasts enhanced 1080p HD graphics, runs at a solid 60 frames per second via recommended spec, and offers trophy integration through Steam with Cloud saving.
• New Storyline: Players can immerse themselves in the brand-new Lords of Shadow storyline, meeting classic characters and experiencing tangential side stories.
• New Weapons and Skills: Overcome obstacles using the Combat Cross multi-function weapon and hone platforming skills within this sprawling adventure. Swing across chasms, climb sheer walls, rappel down cliffs, grip and pull away obstacles.
• New Titan Battles: Conquer behemoth enemies of terrifying size, where special attacks and cunning speed are required for advancement.
• New Exploration: Explore gothic ruins, dark castles, barren forests and frozen wastelands. Discover a whole world to investigate with many routes and hidden secret places that contain items to aid Gabriel on his quest.

Bethesda is pleased to announce that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim^® Legendary Edition is now available in retail stores across Australia and New Zealand on Xbox 360 and PS3 for AUD $69.95 / NZD $89.95, and on PC for AUD $49.95 / NZD $69.95.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition includes the original critically-acclaimed game, official add-ons – Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn – and added features like combat cameras, mounted combat, Legendary difficulty mode for hardcore players, and Legendary skills – enabling you to master every perk and level up your skills infinitely.

For more information on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim^® or Legendary Edition, please visit www.elderscrolls.com.

Make a date with the famous brothers in a new adventure – from the mysterious Pi’illo Island to the deepest recesses of Luigi’s dreams!

6^th June 2013 – With great success in countless quests down the years, it’s as if the powerful pairing of Mario and Luigi can defeat enemies in their sleep. In Mario & Luigi™: Dream Team Bros., releasing 13^th July in Australia and New Zealand for the Nintendo 3DS™ family of consoles, the brothers put such a theory to the test in a new adventure set on both an island near the realm of the Mushroom Kingdom, and within the depths of Luigi’s own dreams!

In this fourth instalment of the popular RPG series Mario & Luigi, the story opens with Princess Peach and her staff, plus brothers Mario and Luigi in tow, being invited for a sightseeing trip to the mysterious Pi’illo Island by its equally mysterious proprietor, Dr Snoozemore. But after an initially hospitable welcoming to the island – albeit with Dr Snoozemore noticeably absent – things take a turn for the worse when Princess Peach is kidnapped and pulled into a Dream World by a new enemy in the series, the ghostly bat king Antasma.

To chase down this new foe and rescue Princess Peach, Mario must enter this Dream World through the dreams of a sleeping Luigi, whose brain is revealed to be on a wavelength with the population of Pi’illo Island, the Pi’illo Folk. Alternating between Luigi’s Dream World and the real world, Mario and Luigi must solve puzzles, battle enemies, and even interact with creations of Luigi’s own imagination in order to succeed!

The relationship between the real world and Dream World plays a critical role within the game. While roaming the Pi’illo Island environment in the real world, Mario and Luigi need to combine equally to use trademark Bros. Moves, while in the Dream World, it is the power of Dreamy Luigi that is all-important in supporting Mario. For example, Luiginary Works are magical ways in which the player can interact with the Dream World environment through Luigi’s sleeping form. Whether it is tweaking Luigi’s moustache or scratching his nose on the bottom screen of the console, this interaction provokes a reaction in the Dream World, affecting the environment to the benefit of Mario.

In the Dream World battle sequences, the power of Dreamy Luigi once again comes to the fore when a horde of Luigis power up Mario to create formidable Luiginary Attacks, moves which greatly differ from the trademark Bros. Attacks in the real world, and which make use of the capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS or Nintendo 3DS XL consoles in original ways. As an example, one Luiginary Attack comprises Mario riding on top of a ball of Luigis, with the player using the motion controls of the console to navigate the ball’s course to crush the enemies that lie ahead. Whether attacking, counterattacking or dodging in battle, the 3D capabilities of the console are also critical for players to judge perfectly timed actions.

When a battle is won, the levelling-up mechanic in-game follows a classic RPG formula, with experience points earned, improving common attributes such as health points and power, plus the addition of classic franchise attributes such as Bro Points – needed to perform special attacks – and STACHE – influencing the chance of Mario or Luigi scoring a critical hit in battle – remaining in this latest instalment in the Mario & Luigi series. Also following previous games in the series is a badge reward system, whereby both brothers can find or buy badges in-game that can be combined to earn the brothers useful rewards after certain actions – such as performing ‘excellent’ attacks – are carried out in battle. For those new to the series meanwhile, hint messages, an easy mode and a slow attack mode will help players get to grips with the battle sequences.

Uncover the power of Dreamy Luigi in the latest adventure in the Mario & Luigi series when Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros. comes to the Nintendo 3DS family of consoles on 13^th July.

The DEUS EX series continues on mobile and tablet devices

SYDNEY (6^th June, 2013) – Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in Australia, New Zealand, and other PAL territories, today announced Deus Ex: The Fall™, the new instalment of the award winning DEUS EX® series, coming soon to mobile and tablet devices.

DEUS EX: THE FALL is set in 2027– a golden era for science, technology and human augmentation, but also a time of great social divide and global conspiracy. Powerful corporations have seized control from governments and command the drug supply needed by augmented humans to survive. In this chaos Ben Saxon, a former British SAS Mercenary who underwent physical augmentation, is desperate for the truth behind the drug conspiracy. Betrayed by his private military employers, the Tyrants, not only is his own life at risk, but for all augmented humans, time is running out…

Developed by Square Enix’s Mobile division in Europe, in collaboration with the original DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION® team at Eidos-Montréal and N-Fusion, DEUS EX: THE FALL is a story driven action-RPG and the first DEUS EX in the series to be released on mobile and tablet devices. The game includes never before seen characters from the novel published by Random House, DEUS EX: THE ICARUS EFFECT, picking up directly where the book finishes.

“We’re really excited to continue the DEUS EX series on mobile and start a new journey”, said Jean-François Dugas, Executive Game Director at Eidos-Montréal. “The team has done an incredible job creating a whole new story and controls for intuitive touch screen gameplay, whilst staying true to the DEUS EX universe. Players can expect exploration, action, hacking, stealth, social enhancers, player choice and consequence- the full DEUS EX experience.”

“Smart devices are central to Square Enix’s platform strategy and we approach it with the same attention as our boxed and digital releases. DEUS EX: THE FALL is going to be testament to our commitment in delivering high quality entertainment on mobile and tablet devices,” said Antony Douglas, General Manager of Square Enix Mobile.

DEUS EX: THE FALL will be playable at the Square Enix booth at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in the South Hall #1647.

For more information about DEUS EX: THE FALL, log onto www.deusex.com/TheFall or visit the Facebook page www.facebook.com/DeusEx and YouTube www.youtube.com/DeusExOfficial.

Sydney, Australia – Thursday June 6, 2013 – Right before heading out to Los Angeles for the E3 Expo, Bohemia Interactive released content update for the Arma 3 Alpha. The ‘Sniper Package’ includes two powerful sniper rifles and supplementary ghillie suits.

The first rifle, the Gepard GM6 Lynx, is a semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle using 12.7×108 mm ammo. Its purpose is to stop or disable targets such as light armoured vehicles, armoured rifle troops, light shelters and helicopters from 600–800 m range.

The second weapon, the M320R Long Range Rifle, is a .408 calibre sniper rifle, valued for its accuracy up to 2000 meters. 

Furthermore, besides new camouflage clothing (ghillie suits), the Sniper Package also features sniper optics (long range scopes) and a rangefinder (special binoculars). All content will be added automatically via a Steam update (0.60), which also includes the ‘stance indicator’ and several other game improvements and fixes. The full details are listed in the changelog.

To participate in the Arma 3 Alpha, people can choose from the Arma 3 Alpha or Arma 3 Digital Deluxe Edition on Steam or Store.bistudio.com (both include Beta-access and the final game). The price of each edition will increase once the Arma 3 Beta and final game become available. The complete overview of editions can be found on the official Arma 3 website.

Customize your character, kill monsters, and collect loot in this pirate-themed match-3 / RPG mash-up

WOODINVILLE, Wash. – June 6, 2013 – Indie developer Beep Games today announced the launch of its Scurvy Scallywags in The Voyage to Discover the Ultimate Sea Shanty app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Scurvy Scallywags is a pirate-themed game created by game industry veterans Ron Gilbert (Monkey Island, The Cave) and Clayton Kauzlaric (Voodoo Vince).

This app is a match-3 game, RPG, and Broadway musical all combined in one. Each user has a pirate character that appears on a classic style match-3 game board, along with loot to be plundered, valuable quest items, and enemies who want you dead. When you match three or more tiles the board shifts in the direction you swiped, so you can use strategy to line up your pirate with items you need or avoid monsters stronger than you. This game is entirely fun and will keep players engaged.

Features:

• Travel      through four mysterious lands to find all 16 hidden verses of the Ultimate      Sea Shanty, a long-lost ditty brimming with secret pirate lore by      acclaimed composer Steve Kirk.
• Dress      up your character in funny costumes, build ships, and choose from a long      list of special abilities, moves, and weapons to give your pirate an edge      in combat.
• Complete      50 GameCenter achievements and keep plundering randomly generated islands      long after you’ve finished the game’s main story.
• Continue      the voyage on any iOS device thanks to convenient iCloud saves and share      exploits and pictures of your pirate through Facebook and Twitter      integration.

The Scurvy Scallywags in The Voyage to Discover the Ultimate Sea Shanty app is currently available for $0.99 from the App Store on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, or at https://itunes.apple.com/app/scurvy-scallywags/id593299847.

Grab your popcorn, 12-gauge and your police scanner – the PAYDAY Crew are hitting the streets 

Sydney, Australia – 6 June 2013 – 505 Games, OVERKILL – a Starbreeze studio and director Demian Lichtenstein today unveiled the first episode in the live action PAYDAY Web Series.

In a true cooperation over industry barriers; the game studios, movie makers and games publishers have pulled off an entertainment job rarely seen before. Get ready for a true cross media production.

Director Demian Lichtenstein, of 3000 Miles to Graceland commented, “The PAYDAY web series has been a solid and very close collaboration between all parties involved. I have never experienced such a high level of commitment to excellence from PAYDAY creators, Bo and Ulf Andersson, to the rock-solid input of game director David Goldfarb, and the combined efforts of the powerhouse global teams at 505 Games, Starbreeze, Overkill, Solaris, Equilibrium and Lightstone. Simply said, this is the best experience of my career.”

Executive produced by Greg O’Connor of Warrior and Pride and Glory fame, the web series was filmed on location in Los Angeles with a crew of over 100 and sets the scene for the next steps in the evolution of the PAYDAY story.

More episodes are set to launch every other week until the release of PAYDAY 2 in August this year on home consoles and PC.

Pre-order PAYDAY 2 now on Steam and console versions from all retailers.

Follow PAYDAY 2 on www.facebook.com/paydaytheheist and twitter.com/paydaygame or log on to http://www.overkillsoftware.com/ and www.crimenet.info

Relic Entertainment today announced that the Open Beta for its eagerly anticipated real time strategy game, Company of Heroes 2 will launch later today and run until 18^th June.

Featuring the title’s critically acclaimed multiplayer mode, the Open Beta will allow players to experience competitive and co-operative gameplay on six of the game’s maps. The Open Beta will also allow gamers to test out the first 45 levels of the game’s progression and bulletin system.

As an added incentive players who participate in the Open beta will get to retain all progression and unlocks earned during this period, if they purchase the game within the first 60 days of launch and play it on the same Steam account as the beta.

Greg Wilson, Producer of Company of Heroes 2 commented: “We have been working hard since the Closed Beta balancing and improving all areas of the game as well as adding new matchmaking servers. COH2 has had one of the most successful Beta programs we’ve ever run at Relic and the support of the fans has been a critical factor in making the game more balanced and stable for launch.”

Underpinned by the cutting-edge Essence 3.0 Engine™, Company of Heroes 2 brings tactical strategy to life like never before, thanks to the realistic ColdTech™ weather system, the revolutionary dynamic line of sight system TrueSight™, and realistic destructibility.

The original Company of Heroes™ was released on the PC in 2006 to critical acclaim and is currently the highest rated strategy title on Gamerankings.com (with more than five reviews), with an average of 93.82% based on 56 reviews. The game features similar acclaim on Metacritic.com with a Metascore of 93% based on 55 reviews.

Company of Heroes™ 2 will be available for PC on June 25^th 2013. For more information or to pre-order the game check www.companyofheroes.com,