Village Gamer

Gamers now have a chance to win their ultimate fantasy with Activision Publishing, Inc.’s and GameStop’s, “Get in the Game,” pre-order promotion for Radical Entertainment’s highly anticipated PROTOTYPE® 2.

U.S. and Canadian players, 18 and older, who pre-order PROTOTYPE 2 at GameStop between now and September 1, 2011 will have the opportunity to go online and enter a random drawing to win a trip for two to Radical Entertainment in Vancouver and become a character in the upcoming open-world action thriller.  To enter the drawing, and for full rules and regulations, go to www.gamestop.com/collection/prototype-2.  The press release said that Canadians who want to enter the contest should go to www.gamestop.ca/prototype-2, however at press time, that link resulted in a 404 error. In fact, GameStop’s Canadian site didn’t mention the contest at all. Conspiracy?

“Thanks to this great partnership with Activision and GameStop, we have an incredible opportunity to offer gamers something truly unique,” said Ken Rosman, Studio Head, Radical Entertainment.  “In addition to just seeing themselves in the game, the winners will actually be able to locate their virtual selves and shape-shift Sgt. James Heller into their likeness.  Radical wouldn’t be where it is today without our fans, and this is just another way for us to thank them for all their support.”

The sequel to Radical Entertainment’s best-selling open-world action game of 2009, PROTOTYPE 2 takes the unsurpassed carnage of the original PROTOTYPE and continues the experience of becoming the ultimate shape-shifting weapon.  As the game’s all-new infected protagonist, Sgt. James Heller, players will cut a bloody swathe through the wastelands of post-viral New York Zero (or more simply… NYZ) with unparalleled locomotion, building up a vast genetic arsenal of deadly, biological weapons and abilities as they hunt and consume their way toward the ultimate goal — to kill…Alex…Mercer!

PROTOTYPE 2 is currently in development for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Windows PC.  The game is currently rated “RP” (Rating Pending) by the ESRB, with an expected “M” rating.

Celebrated composer duo Cris Velasco (God of War Series) and Sascha Dikiciyan (TRON: Evolution) have created an epic original score for Relic Entertainment’s upcoming 3rd person action/shooter, Warhammer® 40,000®: Space Marine® published by THQ. Set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe created by Games Workshop®, Space Marine is scheduled to be released for the Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 and Windows PC on September 6^th 2011.

In Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine you are Captain Titus of the Ultramarines, humanity’s last hope for survival in a war-ridden future. Step into the armor of this superhuman warrior and use a lethal combination of deadly weapons to crush overwhelming alien forces. Fight against the savage Orks and the unholy forces of Chaos in a brutally violent world based on one of the most popular science fiction fantasies.

Inspired by the stunning cinematic visuals and visceral gameplay of Space Marine, the renowned duo of composers Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan crafted an expansive emotional score featuring anthemic orchestral compositions and contemporary Hollywood music production, reflecting the epic scale of this rich, sci-fi fantasy.

Glenn Jamison, Audio Lead at Relic Entertainment commented, “Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan have composed a world-class, emotionally intense original music score for Space Marine that exceeded all of our expectations. We were blown away by the inspired music they wrote for our game and can’t wait to share their epic score with everyone when Space Marine releases this September.”

Composers Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan commented, “Space Marine has been one of the most creatively satisfying projects of our scoring career. This being the first third-person shooter in the Warhammer franchise, we were honored to write an original score that lives up to the games’ prestigious history and also pushes the series forward with a bold and fresh sound.”

The Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine original soundtrack will be included in the Collector’s Edition now available to pre-order exclusively from the THQ store – which has many Warhammer fans around the world (including the Cavechild) very unhappy with THQ.

Hothead Games is pleased to introduce Bob from Marketing, DeathSpank’s new co-op character in the upcoming action RPG, The Baconing, and I’ve come all the way from Spanktopia to impart a marketing message or two about my good friend’s almighty armaments – The Weapons of Justice.

Of course, these are no ordinary weapons – they are fueled by justice itself! When DeathSpank fills his Justice Meter, the weapons are capable of unleashing destruction like none the world has ever seen. You will not be disappointed as the game’s battle component improvements and all the expected USPs will deliver the added value as per the creator’s blue-sky vision!

The latest and greatest is the Drill of Justice, the ultimate in drilling technology. With a five-speed all metal transmission generating over 10,000 rpm, this baby is guaranteed to screw your enemies full of justice and major injury.

For long-range killing nothing can beat the Mobile Nuker, weapon of the future. Besides being able to bash evil in its smirking evil face, the Mobile Nuker has the ability to call in air support, raining destruction down upon DeathSpank’s enemies.

To keep you all on the hook, I also have some other armor images and Hero poses just to whet your media appetite! Exciting, extravagant, fierce, and full of synergy, DeathSpank will be ready for evil as he struts his stuff in confidence.

The Technocrat Armor is a high-tech armor set for your high-tech life. This is one of DeathSpank’s twenty armor sets, but remains of my favorites. Inspired from robotic policemen and 1950s cars, the Technocrat Armor set is truly remarkable at protecting your valued inside from the harsh outside.

The Pinstripe Platemail Armor outfits a protected hero in the latest gangster fashion. This set is complete with a fully functional felt fedora and fool’s gold coated in real gold and then another layer of fool’s gold. His accessories are the Perfectly Legal Bat and the Lucky Crossbow, which can shoot seven rapid-fire shots when fully charged.

With these trusty Weapons of Justice (and five spectacular others) plus an extensive wardrobe of armor, you can help DeathSpank and I vanquish the evil AntiSpank, and bring harmony back to Spanktopia!

The Baconing will be released on PC, Mac, and other platforms this summer.

Square Enix® interactive entertainment products and Eidos-Montreal are proud to announce that Deus Ex®: Human Revolution™ has “gone gold” and will be available in North American retail stores on August 23, 2011 (according to GameStop Canada). Deus Ex®: Human Revolution is the exciting debut title release for Eidos-Montreal. The game will be available for the PlayStation®3, the Xbox 360®  and Windows® PC, Steam® and OnLive®.

“We couldn’t be more excited that Deus Ex: Human Revolution has gone gold and will soon be in the hands of expectant gamers,” said Stephane D’Astous, general manager of Eidos-Montreal. “As the first release for Eidos-Montreal, it’s impossible to express how extremely proud we are of the final product and all of the hard work that went into its creation.”

The return to one of the most critically acclaimed video game franchises of all time, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is an action RPG that offers open-ended, hybrid gameplay.

Telling the story of Adam Jensen, a man cybernetically augmented against his choice who finds himself in the middle of a global conspiracy to which he holds the key, Deus Ex®: Human Revolution is set in a near-future world where humanity is at a turning point.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIqhx9B8HYA]

By offering players the chance to play the game in multiple and vastly different ways, Deus Ex: Human Revolution challenges the foundations of gaming and provides an immersive experience where every choice has a lasting consequence.

Ubisoft® has introduced Assassin’s Creed Embers, a new computer-generated animated short movie that will ship when Assassin’s Creed® Revelations hits store shelves on November 15th. Assassin’s Creed Embers expands on the final chapter of the life of master assassin Ezio Auditore and a journey that has spanned more than four decades.

The animated short, developed by UbiWorkshop, will be available with the Assassin’s Creed Revelations Signature Edition at GameStop for pre-order, and for download on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and on PlayStation®Network.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRaI7ros2nI]

The start of your personal Star Wars™ saga grows ever nearer, and now BioWare has revealed three editions of Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, each custom-designed to delight RPG and Star Wars fans worldwide. The Star Wars: The Old Republic Collector’s Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition and Standard Edition are available for pre-order today at participating retailers (some conditions apply), with digital versions available exclusively at Origin™. Upon pre-order, players will be granted a redemption code that will unlock early game access as well as an in-game color stone to change your weapon effect. Note that pre-order quantities are limited, they will be processed in the order in which they were received, and Early Game Access will only be available to those who pre-order the game and redeem their code before the game’s official release.

Star Wars: The Old Republic has been honored with over 95 industry awards and accolades from game critics worldwide and continues to be one of the most anticipated launches of 2011. The game innovates and advances the MMO genre by emphasizing story as a key pillar of the experience – a proven strength of BioWare and Lucasfilm. As anticipation grows, BioWare also announced today that Star Wars: The Old Republic will open “Beta Test Weekends” starting this September. These weekend play sessions will be open to selected players worldwide and create an opportunity for fans to get a sneak peek of the epic stories, worlds, quests, battles and characters in the game.  Read the rest of this entry »

Goldtooth Creative once again proves itself a force to be reckoned with as its cutting edge trailer for the highly anticipated sequel to 2009’s top-selling game from Activision Publishing and Radical Entertainment, PROTOTYPE® 2 debuts today at San Diego Comic-Con International 2011.

The first entry in PROTOTYPE 2’s three-part CG trilogy, which are behind age-gates on the Prototype 2 site, is titled “Homecoming,” displays the slick editing and breathtaking visuals for which the Vancouver-based creative agency and full-service production studio is quickly becoming known.

Director Paul Furminger and the Goldtooth crew worked tirelessly to build a captivating trailer that introduces gamers to the post-outbreak world inhabited by James Heller, PROTOTYPE 2’s all-new protagonist, and it offers a sneak peek at what’s to come as Blackwatch Special Forces continue the struggle to contain and control the outbreak of the Blacklight virus.

Artists at Goldtooth produced all the visuals for the trailer, including animation, lighting, effects, and compositing, and used all the latest technical tools in their arsenal—including motion capture, game capture, facial performance capture, CG and intense live action shoots—to achieve the look and feel of a feature film that hints at the epic showdown looming between Heller and Alex Mercer, the protagonist of the original game.

The sequel to Radical Entertainment’s best-selling open-world action game of 2009, PROTOTYPE 2 takes the unsurpassed carnage of the original PROTOTYPE and continues the experience of becoming the ultimate shape-shifting weapon. PROTOTYPE 2 is currently in development for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.

As the latest project in the ongoing collaborative relationship between Goldtooth and Activision, the first trailer for PROTOYPE 2 demonstrates Goldtooth’s continued dedication to captivating story-telling and technical excellence. For the original PROTOTYPE game, Goldtooth created multiple trailers and provided creative direction on story cinematics; Furminger directed the ‘Web of Intrigue’ in-game cinematics for the first game.

Activision and Radical have also confirmed the release date for PROTOTYPE 2. The shape-shifting title will be on stores shelves April 24, 2012 for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. You can get your pre-orders in at several retailers – I already have mine in.

“We know our fans have been clamoring to find out when they would be able to get their hands-on PROTOTYPE 2, and the whole studio is excited that we can finally reveal the timing,” said Ken Rosman, Studio Head, Radical Entertainment.  “We’re also thrilled to be at the point where we can show the game directly to our fans.  It’s always rewarding to see those first time reactions to what we’ve been working on for the past couple years, and we can’t wait for them to see some of Sgt. James Heller’s amazing new shape-shifting abilities at San Diego Comic-Con.”

Show goers attending ‘The Con’ will have the opportunity to check out PROTOTYPE 2’s signature crazy, over-the-top, shape-shifting action during 15-minute live stage presentations held throughout each day.  Fans who come by the Activision booth to check out the game can enter a raffle for a chance to win a limited edition, custom leather jacket modeled after the one Sgt. James Heller wears in the game; or a Alex Mercer one of a kind, custom skinned Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.  Additionally, the team from Radical will be on-site handing out assorted PROTOTYPE 2 themed goodies, including t-shirts, posters, giant foam Heller Blade Arms and more! < not fair! 🙁

Vancouver indie Games developer Hothead Games has released some exciting character details and screenshots from the anticipated summer title that fans have been salivating over. The Baconing, where the endearingly egotistical DeathSpank faces an assortment of terrifying new enemies will be released on PC, Mac, and other platforms this summer.

Fortunately for our naively intrepid hero, he finds help in the Forest of Tomorrow from an unlikely group of adventuring scientists. The Nuclear Family is a group of rather socially dysfunctional mad geniuses who push the boundaries of science within their laboratory-esque arboretum. Truly – what other type of scientists could one expect to find in DeathSpank’s wonderful world of whackiness?

Motherly Betty Nuclear stays home and has perfected the science of cooking and cleaning while her husband, Dick Nuclear, spends his time at the “Pleasuretorium” creating robots to help cure the ills of society through full body sensual massage.  Meanwhile, their brilliant son Elroy keeps busy with his attempts to clone a two-headed dog to call his own, and his sister Chastity entertains herself by constructing a boyfriend out of ‘spare parts’ dug up from a graveyard.

In order to gain access to the Fire of Bacon, DeathSpank must reunite this frenetic family.  Of course, it’s never as simple as that: each family member has a tendency to explode when agitated, and that tendency grows when in the vicinity of their fellow Nuclears.  But if he ever wishes to get one step closer to facing off against the villainous AntiSpank, whose very presence threatens everything he stands for, DeathSpank must find a way.

Enter The Secret World – a next-generation massively multiplayer online game for the PC, a world where players are given total freedom to create and progress their characters, unbound by the restrictions of classes and levels. Players will get the opportunity to join one of the three secret societies and fight for power over important locations throughout our own world.  Players will also journey through familiar places across the globe, such as Egypt, New England, London, New York and Seoul and battle monsters of myth and legend.

From the dark and unforgiving Atlantic shoreline, to the overgrown attractions of a theme park lost to the darkness, the Savage Coast reveals more of its hidden mysteries in the latest location video from Funcom. Only a small part of the game, the Savage Coast is home to several unique monsters and myths as well as providing a fantastic backdrop for players to immerse themselves in.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0NQAgZ2FqY]

The forces of evil have recently been no match for Hothead Game’s ultimate video game hero, DeathSpank, but will he be prepared to confront his own evil-self, the AntiSpank?  Summoned out of boredom and an ancient Thongolith myth, the AntiSpank is casting an evil shadow over Spanktopia. DeathSpank must find and proceed deep into the Fires of Bacon and destroy five of the Thongs of Virtue if he is to restore balance to the world once again. Catch a glimpse of what our inept superhero’s been up to in this new thong spy-cam footage…

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msFbbi_PTqg]

With new environments, characters, weapons, incredible suits of armour, and plenty of bacon, The Baconing is a comical adventure like no other. The Baconing will be released on PC, Mac, and other platforms sometime this summer. Note to devs: make it early summer as opposed to late summer, please.