Plants vs Zombies 2: It’s About Time coming to iOS on July 18

The long expected sequel of the arcade game Plants vs Zombies will soon be available on iOS devices. PopCap Games has officially announced that its Plants vs Zombies 2: It’s About Time will be coming to the Apple platform on July 18.

PopCap Games has also released a trailer for the upcoming title, giving us a hint on what to expect. In the trailer, the botanist Dave sets himself to defend his house with the help of peashooters, walnuts and other plants.

he Plants vs Zombies 2 will feature some new plants that include a five-way peashooter and a plant, which fires boomerangs that come back to it. The upcoming sequel of the popular game is said to have some new worlds to play in along with some new and interesting mini games.

Grand Theft Auto V Delayed till 9.17.2013

Rockstar has announced that the release date for the next game in the GTA Franchise- Grand Theft Auto -V has been delayed. The new release date, according to the company  is September, 17, 2013. This is a Four

Real World Racing Beta now available, allows you to race on real streets

The open beta version of the Real World Racing is now available for all the race gaming fans. The title brings a whole new dimension for gaming as it is built using real satellite images, which lets you to race on the real streets.

Unfortunately, the game is not fully built yet, but the beta version still offers you different modes including single player, time trial and multiplayer with six different cars along with three maps – Rome, Berlin and London.
According to the developers, the full version of the game will be launched with 80 cars, 50 tracks and a career mode. Real World Racing offers a real time racing environment and allows you can race along the road with a controller or a keyboard.

The team is reportedly working to get the game approved for the Windows machines, but there has been no official confirmation on the pricing and the availability of the full game just yet.
Source | via

Temple Run 2 for Android expected on January 24

Temple Run is undoubtedly one of the most popular games available in the Play Store. Imangi Studios in a joint venture with Fuzzycube Software had released the sequel of the game for iOS, just the other day.

After the overwhelming response the game received in the App Store, Temple Run 2 is heading towards a grand release on Android. The much anticipated game is expected to hit the Google Play Store as early as January 24 according to the folks at Android Community, who claim to have confirmed with the game developers.
Temple Run 2 is built on the same concept as the original version, but has new locations and improved game graphics along with few new additions to its characters club.

Let’s all hope that the new version of the game will be as addictive as its original version.
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Zynga shuts down 11 games

It seems like the social games bubble has started bursting. According to TechCrunch, Zynga is shutting down, stopping accepting new players, or pulling from the app stores 11 of its games. According to the company, keeping some of these games up was too much strain on the company and was costing it money that it couldn't afford. The company will be moving the engineers, designers and product teams to other more successful games.

Here is the list of games that either have already been shut down, or are in the process of being shut down:

• PetVille – Shut down December 30
• Mafia Wars 2 - Shut down December 30
• FishVille – Shut down December 5
• Vampire Wars – Shut down December 5
• Treasure Isle – Shut down December 5
• Indiana Jones Adventure World – Closed to new players, shuts down January 14
• Mafia Wars Shakedown – Pulled from app stores
• Forestville – Pulled from app stores
• Montopia – Shut down December 21
• Mojitomo – Pulled from app stores
• Word Scramble Challenge – Pulled from app stores

This comes as a big blow to some people who have poured countless amounts of money and time into the games, as they revolved around speeding things up by paying real money to buy in-game items. The company has been facing angry comments from players, such as “my daughter is heartbroken” and “Please don’t remove petville. I been playing for 4 yrs. and I’M going to miss my pet Jaime….why do you want cause depression for me and others. Why do you want to kill my pet?”

This could be a result of Zynga's falling stocks. The company's shares had gone down by more than 12 percent as a result of Zynga ammending its contract with Facebook that let it release its games on platforms other than Facebook. Zynga had filed a document with the SEC, which details the amendments in the agreement between the two companies.

“In addition, effective on March 31, 2013, certain provisions related to web and mobile growth targets and schedules will no longer be applicable and Facebook will no longer be prohibited from developing its own games. Further, Zynga's right to cross-promote between games on the Facebook web site will be governed by Facebook's standard terms of service,” reads the document.

According to the SEC, Zynga can now launch games on any platform it wishes and use non-Facebook ad payments and ads, but Facebook might stop giving it valuable preferred treatment. Zynga will still continue to have a huge presence on Facebook, and has stated that its games “will generally be available through the Facebook web site concurrent with, or shortly following, the time such game is made available on another social platform or a Zynga property.”

But this move may also hurt Zynga in the long term as the company will no longer be able to cross-promote its games. Essentially, if a player on Zynga.com shares his achievements from the game on to their Facebook Timeline, it will no longer direct it back to Zynga.com, which could mean a fall in the traffic to the site.

‘Karateka’ for iOS game review

Old school gamers here will probably remember Karateka very well. Created by Jordan Mechner, the same guy who created the original Prince of Persia game, Karateka is one of the most popular 8-bit games of all time.

Now, 28 years after the game first debuted on an Apple II, the original developer, along with a small team, has created a remake for the Xbox, PS3, PC and iOS. The game is based on the same basic premise as the original but features revised rhythm-based gameplay and completely reworked visuals. But will it be able to recreate the magic of the original? Let’s find out.

Premise

In Karateka, Princess Mariko has been abducted and held captive by the evil emperor Akuma. You play as one of the three suitors vying to save her: one known simply as True Love, the other a noble Monk and lastly a fearsome Brute. You start off as True Love, but if you get defeated by Akuma’s guards, you continue as the Monk and if you get defeated again, you resume as the Brute. Being defeated again ends the game. Depending upon which character you complete the game with, you get one of the three endings.

The addition of the two new characters is a departure from the original game. Also, as with all the 8-bit games of that time, the original Karateka had no check points and would had to be played from the start if you died. The two new characters also have their own endings, although completing the game with True Love should be the preferred option as that gets you the happiest ending.

Gameplay

The original Karateka was a 2D side-scrolling game where you had to move your player in front of your opponent, go into a fighting stance and then choose to kick or punch using the D-Pad to guide your hits. Upon defeating the enemy you would then scroll ahead to the next one.
The new game is 3D and you have to press and hold the screen to move the player forward. Once you reach your opponent, your character automatically goes into the fighting stance and the camera moves to the side. After that it’s just a matter of tapping the screen at the right moment.

The new Karateka uses rhythm based gameplay, where you have to wait for the icon to appear on screen indicating the enemy is about to attack. Tap the screen at the right time and you successfully dodge the attack. Once you’re done, you then get to tap the screen repeatedly to hit your opponent. Then it’s again the enemy’s turn to attack. You do this a few times until you exhaust the enemy’s strength and then you move on to the next one.

As you progress, the enemies keep getting stronger and their attacks more fierce. Initially, you would have to dodge one or two attacks but later on you can get 5-7 at a time. Sometimes, the enemy would space them out, so you have to be careful and tap at the right moment. If you manage to block all attacks, you get to dish out the most when it’s your turn. Miss a few and you get to do less damage. If you fail to dodge the last attack, you lose your chance to hit back.
The game also has a new Stun mode, where you get the ability to momentarily stun an enemy and then dish out multiple attacks. You have a bar at the bottom of the screen that fills when you dodge successfully and glows when its ready to be used.
You keep facing one enemy after another, occasionally with some boss battles in between. You even face Akuma’s trained hawk a few times, just like in the original game.

Compared to the original the new Karateka is a bit too easy. In an attempt to make the game accessible to more players, the developers have robbed the game of some of its character. The original game was known to be difficult, and I personally never managed to finish it even though it’s not very long. The new one I finished in twenty minutes flat. Yes, it’s that short.
Not only is the action in the game significantly easier, the addition of two extra characters means there is little fear of dying, unless you plan on finishing the game with a particular character to get the respective Game Center achievement. In the end, what you get is a watered down version of the original that tries too hard to play safe and in the end doesn’t really feel much like a remake but a different game entirely.

Visuals and Sound

Thanks to the new 3D graphics, the Karateka looks absolutely nothing like the old one. The visuals aren’t particularly spectacular but look good nonetheless. However, despite the less than stellar graphics, the game still manages to stutter. I tested it on the iPad mini and found the framerate constantly struggling, and other device users aren’t seeing much change either. Also, the game does not support the Retina display on the third and fourth generation iPads and the new iPhone 5, which is simply inexcusable for a game releasing in December.

The soundtrack in the game is pretty good. Created by the Grammy-award winning composer Christopher Tin, the oriental music flows in sync with your moves and perfectly complements the action. Even sound effects such as punches and kicks sound appropriately powerful. There are no dialogues in the entire game but you never really feel their absence.

Verdict

The original Karateka is a classic for a good reason. It had amazing gameplay that was simple in theory but notoriously difficult to execute and it combined them with a good story and realistic animations (for that time). And while the 2012 remake does improve upon the audio-visual presentation it performs the double sin of not just failing to maintain the quality of the gameplay but making it worse. Sure, the new, easier gameplay will make it a lot more accessible to some people, but fans of the original are bound to be disappointed. What’s worse, so will most other people who haven’t played the original. And for the price, the game is just too short and too repetitive to be played more than a couple of times.
Rating: 5.5/10
Pros: Simple gameplay, good soundtrack
Cons: Way too simple and short, framerate issues and poor device compatibility

Download

PlayStation 2 shipments stopped in Japan

After selling over 150 million units world wide since it went on sale almost 13 years ago, the old warhorse PlayStation 2, it seems, is now finally making an exit. According to Famitsu, Sony has stopped shipping the console to retailers in Japan.

The PlayStation 2 went on sale in Japan back on March 4, 2000, and was a tremendous success for the company. The popularity of this console ended up killing Sega’s Dreamcast console and even Microsoft’s original Xbox and Nintendo’s GameCube didn’t stand much chance against Sony’s juggernaut. Easily the most popular game console in the world, the PS2 also has one of the biggest library of games for any platform out there.
Even after the launch of the PlayStation 3 back in 2006, Sony continued to sell the PS2 worldwide. For the past few years, the PS2 has been serving as a great entry-level console for casual gamers or for kids whose parents don’t want to spend a lot. The massive library means you never really run out of games to play, either.


But it seems the dream run is coming to an end. Although there is no word on whether the stopping of shipments will occur in other markets as well, I wouldn’t really be surprised if it did.
So long, old friend. It was nice knowing you.

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‘Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour’ for iOS and Android game review

Gameloft’s Modern Combat series of games have gained a bit of infamy for being heavily based on Call of Duty games. Still, despite that fact, one can’t deny that these have always been some of the best first person shooters on mobile.

The last one, Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation was a particularly good game and with the latest one, Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour, Gameloft seems to have turned every dial to eleven to produce, at least on paper, one of the best first person shooters on the mobile platform. But does it actually deliver where it counts? Let’s find out. 

Premise

The United States is under a terrorist attack and the terrorist group in question is being led by Edward Page, a former American soldier who has since then seemingly betrayed his country to wipe out the corruption within America. You get to play as American soldiers fighting this terrorism and at times as Page himself, watching the story unfold from the other side. The story is not much, really, and it’s hard to get involved with any of the characters.

Gameplay

Modern Combat 4 for most parts is a first person shooter but also includes other gameplay elements that we have seen in recent times, such as guiding an unmanned vehicle or directing drone attacks onto enemies. Other than that, however, it’s your usual run and gun action, occasionally separated by sniping, rocket launching and vehicle sequences.


The action in the game has a very mature and grown up feel to it, which makes it stand out over most mobile shooters out there. It’s hard to tell sometimes that you’re playing a mobile game and not a console game. Granted, not all of the missions make complete sense and a lot of situations in the game seem to be there just for the sake of it, or to make it seem more like a console game, but the end result is very impressive. 


Most of the missions will have you running around with at least one other team member by your side. The AI team mates do a good job taking down enemies when you are not around and don’t just stand there and absorb bullets. The AI is not exceptionally bright and often don’t turn around when you’re besides them but they make good use of cover and tend to spread out to maximize the damage. In turn, you too have to take cover, otherwise you won’t last five seconds in the battlefield. Considering this, the cover system is rather basic and you just have to move behind object and crouch down to reduce damage.


The game offers a lot of different weapons to choose from. You get your usual assortment of rifles, handguns, shotguns and grenades. When you get too close to an enemy, it automatically switches to a knife. You can carry three guns at a time, along with the grenades. You can also purchase additional items such as safety vests, health kits, grenades, etc. using the points you earn while playing the game.


The game makes good use of the aforementioned gameplay elements to space things out, so you don’t feel like you’re constantly shooting at things. I mean, you still shoot at things, but events such as controlling UMVs are quite fun and make the game seem less repetitive. There are also some quick time events thrown in for good measure. Occasionally, during cut scenes, you will be attacked by an enemy, at which point a swipe command will appear on screen. Swipe immediately in the right direction and you pull off an instant kill. Fail, and you die and the game starts from the last checkpoint, which are always nearby.

One major problem with the game, however, are the controls. Now this is not something exclusive to the game but more of a problem with shooters on touchscreen devices in general. The touch controls feel slow and unresponsive and at times are just hard to find when you’re not looking directly at them. It takes several hours to get used to them and even then you’d find yourself struggling in tight situations. Thankfully, Gameloft lets you customize the layout by letting you move them around and even increase their size by pinching. With a bit of experimentation you can get a playable layout but the controls still end up being the weakest link in the chain. 


The controls also end up making the game a lot more difficult than it is. Had you been playing the game with a keyboard and mouse you’d probably breeze through the campaign in not more than a couple of hours but it would take you twice as much otherwise with the touch controls. The game offers many aids to help you out, by automatically snapping the crosshair at the nearest enemy, etc. but it still feels quite difficult, which can occasionally be quite frustrating.

Gameloft has also built-in a multiplayer element into the game. You can either play over a local Wi-Fi network or use a Gameloft ID to play against people online. The multiplayer is quite fun, actually, and although you don’t have a lot of players online at the moment there are still enough for you to enjoy yourself when you get bored of shooting at AI soldiers. Also, the playing field seems to be level as seemingly everyone struggles with the controls, so you have a decent chance of getting a good score and a rank.

Visuals and Sound

This is one area where Modern Combat 4 blows practically every mobile game out of the water. It looks absolutely, jaw-droppingly spectacular. The game is based on the Havok engine, which brings with it some incredible particle effects and rag doll physics, which makes the game look highly realistic. You also get the Battlefield 3/Frostbite 2-esque lens flare effect on the screen, which also looks nice without being too distracting. It’s insane how good the game looks at times and you just want to stop and stare and be amazed at how far technology has come in the past few years.


The sound is equally good in Modern Combat 4. The background music is gritty and exciting and the sound effects are all well done. The guns sound powerful and lethal and explosions can be daunting. Even the voice acting is done very well, although the dialogues themselves are often unnecessarily aggressive and seem to be trying too hard to appear tough.

Verdict

In terms of production value, Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour can beat the pants off of most mobile and even some console games that have arrived this year. The game looks absolutely incredible and plays just like something you’d find on a console or a PC. Sure, the developers could have spent more time working on a better story and characters but despite that the game still manages to be quite enjoyable. Complementing the short but solid campaign is an enjoyable multiplayer mode as well, which you’ll find yourself playing days after the you’ve finished the single player mode.
The only thing holding this game back are the controls, which is largely the fault of the platform. But if you’re someone who has made peace with this shortcoming or can use a controller with your mobile device then it shouldn’t be too much of a concern.

Priced at at $6.99, Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour offers a lot of bang for your buck and is highly recommended for fans of first person shooters.


Rating: 8.5/10
Pros: Varied, enjoyable campaign, fun multiplayer mode, stunning audio visual presentation
Cons: Controls mar the overall experience and make the game a lot tougher than it should be
Download: iOS | Android

Offroad Racers

The Off-road Racers contest is an event where monster trucks, rally cars, pickups and buggies compete with each other. Opponents can try to stop racers on their way to finish in three different racing modes.

Download free full version pc game today, complete 18 stages and win the contest!

System Requirements:

• - Windows 95/98/XP/ME/Vista/7;
• - Processor 800 Mhz or better;
• - RAM: minimum 1024Mb;
• - DirectX 9.0 or higher;
• - DirectX compatible sound board;
• - Easy game removal through the Windows Control Panel.

Download the File 

 Credits to @Gametop

Deadly Race

In the beginning of 21th century global energy crisis wakened World War III. A lot of cities were destroyed and people abandoned them searching for better life. Now these abandoned cities are used as race tracks for a new kind of popular entertainment - Apocalypse Motor Racing. Daredevils from different corners of the world drive to victory through wrecked cars of their competitors in this deadly racing.

Download free full version game today and try to win Apocalypse Motor Racing or try to survive!

System Requirements:

• - Windows 95/98/XP/ME/Vista/7;
• - Processor 800 Mhz or better;
• - RAM: minimum 1024Mb;
• - DirectX 9.0 or higher;
• - DirectX compatible sound board;
• - Easy game removal through the Windows Control Panel.

Download the File

 Credits to Gametop

Sudden Strike: Iwo Jima

As dawn broke on February 19, 1945, US Marines began the largest, most important island campaign of the Pacific Theater.
Download free full version pc game today, join these great men in their battle and lead them to the victory!

System Requirements:

• - Windows 95/98/XP/ME/Vista/7;
• - Processor 800 Mhz or better;
• - RAM: minimum 1024Mb;
• - DirectX 9.0 or higher;
• - DirectX compatible sound board;
• - Easy game removal through the Windows Control Panel.

Download the File

Credits goes to Gametop

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Ouya announces ten upcoming titles for the console

Ouya had planned a giveaway for ten developers, who would be getting the developer console for free, along with the software development kit. The ten developer names were announced on their Twitter account, along with the games that each of them are developing for OUYA.
The list of developers and the game they are making are as follows.

1. Nicoll Hunt – Fist of Awesome
2. Dinosaur Games – MechKnight Chronicles
3. Studio Evil – Syder Arcade
4. Seantron – KidElectro
5. Hypercane Studios – Space Runner
6. Calvin Goble – Legend of Dungeon
7. Mobula Games – iMech Online
8. PD Design Studio – Dusty Revenge
9. Dogbox Studio – Holy Shield
10. Tiy – Starbound

These are just some of the games that are in development for Ouya (you would also see them on other platforms). There are also a lot of existing games on Android that would hopefully be available by March when the console goes on sale.


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Microsoft releases SkyDrive app for Xbox 360

The official SkyDrive app for the Xbox 360 launches today as part of a 40-app suite specially designed for Microsoft’s gaming console.

The current version of the app does what you’d expect – bridging the gap between your TV and the cloud. SkyDrive for Xbox 360 will allow you to watch photos, videos and slideshows directly from your SkyDrive account on your TV.




Additionally, you can stream photos just taken with your Windows Phone right on the TV thanks to SkyDrive’s automatic sync feature.

The Redmond guys even made a promo trailer of the SkyDrive Xbox app showcasing some of its features.
So what the other 39 apps then? They won’t be launching immediately, but rather gradually roll out until the Spring of next year. Some of the more interesting titles include Napster (launching for the UK and Germany) and Deezer for the Xbox Live-supporting regions.

Source | Via

Angry Birds Space and Star Wars coming to Windows Phone 7.5

Rovio has just announced its latest Angry Birds installments will be released for the older generation Windows Phone devices. Angry Birds Space and Angry Birds Star Wars will be hitting the WP7 Store any moment now. Meanwhile, the original Angry Birds title will be getting an update to celebrate its third birthday.

Both games will be compatible with all Windows Phone 7.5 or later running smartphones, no matter their specs. Rovio says Nokia helped bring the games to those that only have 256 MB of RAM.
The two space titles are already available on Windows Phone 8 and you can expect them very soon to land on the Windows Phone 7 Store as well. They’ll probably cost the same as their WP8 siblings – $0.99. Hit the source link below for the QR codes.

Rovio kept its promise to release those on all Windows phone versions. But will it manage to help increasing the user base? I guess only time will tell.

Today Angry Birds turns three years old and Rovio’s already released the birthday update. It brings 15 new Birdday Party levels and 15 more of the Bad Piggies episode. It also bumps the game version up to 3.0, welcomes the pink bird and brings support for iPhone 5 (about time!). The update is already available on Android and iOS, while other platforms should be getting it soon too.

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Sony is testing a web-based PlayStation Store

Sony has started testing a new version of their PlayStation Store that’s accessible online. The destination offers a selection of movies, television shows and games available for purchase and download. It’s called Sony Entertainment Network and it’s online right now despite the fact that the company has yet to make a public announcement about it.
Once it’s fully functional (I was having issues connecting earlier), it’ll compete with the likes of Microsoft’s Xbox media store and other online outlets like Amazon and iTunes that offer the same type of digital content. Pricing should be similar to other outfits based on your home region and you can pay for purchases using a credit card, pre-paid cards and PayPal.

Once you buy something, it will automatically be added to your download queue. You can also have the service start the download automatically granted you’ve first set up this feature in the Account Management settings. Interestingly enough, I didn’t see the US listed as a participating country when I first visited the portal.
As we understand it, all content will be available on the PlayStation 3, the PS Vita and the PSP. Movies and television shows can also be downloaded and watched on computers, Sony tablets and Sony smartphones.
A post on the European PlayStation Blog notes that Sony is planning to announce and officially launch the store soon although no specific date was given. Here’s to hoping that it’s not a case of too little, too late for Sony in this competitive market.

Far Cry 3

The travel brochure that enticed Jason Brody and his friends to book their spring break-style trip to the Rook Islands probably left out the pillaging pirates, aggressive bull sharks and lunging leopards.
The picturesque setting of "Far Cry 3" (Ubisoft, for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99; PC, $49.99) turns out to be far from hospitable to the naive tourist, who can barely stand the sight of blood when he finds himself caged up in a village ruled by a sadistic drug lord.
Jason's transition into a seasoned survivor anchors "Far Cry 3," an outstanding open-world first-person shooter that intersperses character arc, plot and suspense throughout a variety of action-packed firefights, stealth sequences and side missions.
The game begins with Jason being led out of captivity by his military-trained brother, a linear sequence that helps introduce Jason and acclimate players to the control scheme. The islands quickly open up after the arrival of Dennis Rogers, an ally to the indigenous Rakyat tribe who guides Jason on his quest to reunite with his girlfriend and fellow tourists. Dennis sees a burgeoning warrior in Jason and entices him to help free the islands from ruthless criminals.

Each section holds a radio tower handicapped by a signal scrambler, and climbing a tower and disconnecting the device opens a small part of a ridiculously expansive map that's on par with Bethesda Softworks' recent "Fallout" or "Elder Scrolls" installments. Freeing a tower also helps open an area to trade, which makes weapon dealers so happy that they'll start showering you with free guns.
Ridding an enemy outpost of bad guys provides a new location to buy and upgrade weapons with scopes and silencers, as well as a fast travel point to speed trips between friendly villages. But with so many ATVs, trucks and jeeps spread throughout the islands- not to mention hang gliders, jet skis and boats - why not take the scenic route?
Once Jason grabs control of an enemy outpost, he can also browse the bulletin boards for side missions that offer rewards for hunting down rare creatures or wanted criminals. Tracking down a white belly tapir is exciting, but hunting is also a key survival mechanism. Slaying and skinning everything from wild boars to alligators allows Jason to craft holsters to haul more weapons, larger wallets to carry more cash and expanded rucksacks to carry more loot.
The various plants on the islands are another key to survival, as they provide ingredients that boost health and endorphins or enhance perception. And leveling up allows Jason to unlock new skills such as takedowns involving grenades and knives, increased health or adrenaline, and the ability to take less damage from falls and fires.

As in most first-person shooters, killing a bad guy leaves a body to loot, and the controls on this move inflict the game's only significant annoyance. On numerous occasions I found myself mistakenly swapping out a favorite gun for the enemy's weapon when all I wanted to do is grab a little cash.
"Far Cry 3" also has a formidable multiplayer element, with several familiar game modes and a creative addition called Firestorm, in which a team must set fire to the opponents' supply nodes and then escape the spreading flames while capturing a radio transmitter.

So far I've spent several dozen hours exploring the Rook Islands and haven't experienced a moment of boredom. Whatever games find their way under the tree this year, I'll probably still be playing this over the holiday break. Four stars out of four.

Adobe releases cloud-based game development tools

Adobe late Monday release a free tool kit to make it easier for developers to create Flash-based games to ride the growing wave of playing on smartphones, tablets, and in Internet browsers.

Game Developers Tools made available were the first tied to the Adobe's "Creative Cloud," providing computing muscle from Adobe's online datacenters.

"For anybody who wants to develop a game that targets the Flash player it will be a lot easier," said Diana Helander, group product marketing manager for Gaming Solutions at Adobe.

"For people who want to try their hand at being a game developer, this allows you to play around and target a bunch of different marketplaces," she continued. "That really opens the door for revenue and for discovery, even if you just have a free little game you want to put out there."

Flash-based games can be found in among the top titles at social network Facebook as well as those popular for play using personal computer browsers.

Adobe said it tools enable games to be crafted more efficiently to work across the sometimes challenging array of device screen sizes and operating systems.

Flash software can enable a desktop computer version of the game be shifted to suit smartphones or tablets which are becoming increasing popular devices for play.

"Gaming companies are becoming more like media companies," Helander said. "Gaming as a whole is definitely increasing in popularity."

Adobe envisioned the free tools boosting the number of rich, immersive games available including many based on characters or franchises that have been hits on videogame consoles.

Japan-based Square Enix and France-based Ubisoft are among videogame industry titans working with Flash tools, according to Helander.

Halo 4' Launches Worldwide Today

The Master Chief is back. Poised to become the biggest entertainment launch of the year so far, “Halo 4” is the first chapter of a brand-new saga in the genre-defining, US$3 billion franchise that has shaped entertainment history and sold a staggering 46 million games worldwide. Hailed by NBC News as “breathtaking, heart-breaking and awe-inspiring,”[1] “Halo 4” has garnered universal acclaim as one of the top-rated video games of 2012, according to Metacritic.[2] In a year jam-packed with record-breaking Hollywood movies and games, “Halo 4” is expected to break all previous day-one entertainment sales records in 2012, cementing its status as the must-have blockbuster of the year.

Excitement for the return of the Master Chief has swept the globe. In London, a massive illuminated glyph soared over the River Thames, a symbol of the new threat that has awakened in “Halo 4.” The glyph, which measures 50 feet in diameter and weighs 3.2 tons, was illuminated by 113,096 LED lights and represents one of the largest objects ever to be flown by helicopter as a lighting art performance. On Oct. 30, the European country of Liechtenstein was reimagined into a real-life replica of the “Halo” universe, marking the first time a brand has taken over an entire country for an entertainment launch. For one day only, Xbox 360 transformed some of the country’s most iconic landmarks, including a 13th-century castle and a working mine, to create a mysterious alternate universe in the heart of Europe — all inspired by “Halo.”

Around the world, midnight madness swept more than 10,000 stores in more than 40 countries, as hundreds of thousands of fans lined up around city blocks to count down to the game’s release. At marquee launch events in Seattle, Paris, London, Berlin, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Sydney and other major cities, throngs of fans, celebrities and athletes flocked to be among the first to play “Halo 4” and participate in other launch activities, such as meeting the creators of the game, viewing private screenings of the live-action digital series “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn,” and taking photos with the Master Chief.

“‘Halo 4’ marks a rebirth and a new beginning for one of the most beloved and iconic franchises in the modern history of entertainment,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Studios. “Over the past decade, the ‘Halo’ franchise has become a bona fide pop culture phenomenon, and ‘Halo 4’ promises to take the franchise to a new level and set the stage for the next decade of ‘Halo.’” 

With the launch of “Halo 4” coinciding with Election Day, Microsoft Corp. is amplifying its get-out-the-vote campaign, which kicked off earlier this year in collaboration with Rock the Vote, to encourage “Halo” and Xbox LIVE fans to exercise their civic duty before jumping into “Halo 4.” The campaign began with voter recruitment efforts at major consumer events as well as a voter registration program on Xbox LIVE and expanded to major launch events and more than 100 college campuses nationwide yesterday.

Developed by Microsoft Studios’ 343 Industries exclusively for the Xbox 360, “Halo 4” is set nearly five years after the events of “Halo 3” and follows the Master Chief and his faithful artificial intelligence (AI) companion Cortana as they venture into a mysterious new world and discover an overpowering ancient evil that threatens to annihilate mankind. “Halo 4” takes the series in a bold new direction by delivering its most epic and explorative campaign yet, alongside a groundbreaking multiplayer offering unlike anything before it, known as Spartan Ops. This story-driven, episodic, cooperative adventure blends immersive storytelling, stunning cinematics and action-packed gameplay to deliver an unprecedented serialized experience. Through a weekly series of cinematic episodes, Spartan Ops continues the story beyond the main campaign by introducing new characters, storylines and gameplay missions over a 10-week season, akin to a high-quality, interactive TV show.[3]

Coupled with breathtaking visuals, heart-pounding audio, emotionally cinematic performances and a sweeping musical score by acclaimed composer Neil Davidge of Massive Attack fame, “Halo 4” delivers a riveting experience that resonates as powerfully as an epic Hollywood blockbuster. Some of entertainment’s best and brightest have joined the effort to make the launch of “Halo 4” a landmark pop culture moment, including legendary Hollywood director David Fincher (“Fight Club,” “The Social Network,” “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) and acclaimed visual effects lead Tim Miller (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”), who produced and directed the live-action launch trailer for the game, respectively.

 

The Standard Edition of “Halo 4” is available for US$59.99 ERP[4], and the Limited Edition, which includes an extended 90-minute version of the live-action digital series “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” and additional bonus content, is available for US$99.99 ERP. Fans can also pick up the Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo 4” Console Bundle for US$399.99 ERP and a standalone Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo 4” Wireless Controller for US$59.99 ERP. In addition, the “Halo 4” Original Soundtrack, which broke the record for the highest-charting video game soundtrack ever on the Billboard 200 chart the week of Oct. 29[5], is available for purchase for US$13.98 ERP. A special limited edition and individually numbered three-disc box set, which includes the original soundtrack, a remix album featuring remixes from 14 of the world’s most renowned electronica producers, a 70-minute DVD called “Composing a Universe” and additional exclusive content, is available for purchase for US$74.99 ERP starting today at http://www.halo4soundtrack.com.

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Nintendo Wii U Review

The Wii U is Nintendo's capitulation to the screen, the tyrant of the digital age. As the follow-up to the original Wii - the nearly 100-million-selling, get-off-your-couch console that upended the video game industry six years ago - the Wii U does not deliver the sensation that its predecessor unleashed, the sense that something new had been wrought upon this earth. It was not always routine for grandparents and grandchildren to gather in front of the television to wield plastic sticks and pretend to bowl.

Instead, the Wii U feels like an accommodation to the new mode of living that Apple's iPhone and iPad have introduced. That lifestyle was evoked by a New Yorker cover this summer that featured family members posing for a beach vacation snapshot while engrossed in their personal devices.

The Wii U, which is to be released on Sunday, works with the motion-control remotes you probably already own from the original Wii, and it plays most of the original games. What's new - beyond high-definition graphics and some Internet-enabled features that won't be turned on until Sunday - is the Wii U GamePad, a roughly 10-by-5-inch touch-screen controller. With a six-inch display surrounded by thumbsticks, buttons and triggers, the GamePad is the offspring of an iPad Mini and a traditional video game controller.

In its marketing buildup to the Wii U introduction, Nintendo emphasized the benefits of two-screen gaming, particularly competitions in which the player with the GamePad sees something different from what the other players watch on the television. In so doing, Nintendo played down a simpler concept, one more easily understood by casual players and Apple fans: the touch screen.

By merging touch-screen gaming with a video game system that is designed to live next to your TV set rather than be carried around in your pocket or purse, Nintendo is not merely acceding to the cultural tide. It is also trying - valiantly, perhaps quixotically - to stem it. After creating a world in which we are no longer bowling alone (because we are all Wii-bowling together), Nintendo is seeking to invent a new way for us to commune with our screens. The company's hope is that the Wii U will bring families together in their living rooms for touch-screen gaming rather than leave them isolated with their tablets and smartphones.

Touch has always been a part of gaming, of course, because the physical interaction between player and device is central to the medium. But in recent years the growing complexity of the standard controller has become an obstacle for new players who did not grow up adapting to each iteration: the shift from one button to two buttons to four, or from one joystick to a directional pad to two thumbsticks and a directional pad - not to mention triggers and bumpers and start and select buttons. Easy, right?

Simplicity was a large part of the broad appeal of the first Wii, and though playing with the Wii U is not quite as uncomplicated as standing up and waving your arms around, the touch screen is straightforward compared with the controllers used with an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3. Selecting songs in Sing Party, a karaoke game published by Nintendo, is done by swiping through tiles on the GamePad's touch screen and then tapping the song you want. The same goes for Ubisoft's Just Dance 4, with the added wrinkle that a player can use the touch screen to choose dance moves, midsong, for the other players to perform.

In Balloon Trip Breeze, one of the mini-games bundled on the Nintendo Land anthology that comes with the $350 Wii U deluxe edition, the player uses a stylus to make quick swipes - familiar to anyone who has played Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja - to make a character pop balloons on the television. In Takamaru's Ninja Castle, another Nintendo Land game, similar swipes hurl martial arts stars at cartoonish cutouts. In Pikmin Adventure, from the same disc, enemies are defeated by tapping on them as they appear on the GamePad screen. In Yoshi's Fruit Cart players scrawl a path on the touch screen and then watch a character follow it on television.

The touch screen also allows the GamePad to morph swiftly into a TV remote control; you can adjust the volume on your set or quickly check the score of a football game without reaching for a separate device. And if you like what you see on cable, or if you want to allow someone else to watch TV in the same room, you can switch from playing a game of New Super Mario Bros. U on television to watching it unfold on your GamePad.

As that last trick indicates, the GamePad is more than just a touch screen, and Nintendo Land provides a sketch of other possibilities. The camera inside the GamePad is used in the game Octopus Dance to project the player's genuine, human face onto the television, a merger of the virtual with the corporeal that goes by the name "augmented reality."

Lightly blowing into the GamePad's microphone in Donkey Kong's Crash Course turns a windmill that moves a cart skyward. The GamePad can be used as a viewfinder in Metroid Blast and the Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest to target enemies for destruction. And in some other Nintendo Land games, characters can be moved by turning or tilting or lifting the GamePad into the air, another technique borrowed from mobile and tablet gaming.

Equally promising, if not more so, are the possibilities the GamePad presents for intensive, single-player gaming. In Ubisoft's ZombiU, the GamePad transforms, if not eliminates, some of the metaphors gamers are accustomed to: The map is no longer a tiny icon in the lower-right corner of your television, nor a menu that must be reached by punching a sequence of buttons. It is something you hold in your hands and look down at, something that draws your attention away from the world (of zombies) around you.

Your inventory - the items you carry - also becomes less abstract as you peer into your GamePad to see what's in your backpack and then physically move, say, a pistol into your hand by sliding it with your finger into an open slot. Similarly, digging through lockers, file cabinets and suitcases in the game world becomes closer to a genuine interaction.

Then again, when the first Wii console felt new, as with Microsoft's Kinect more recently, many decreed that motion controls would be swiftly and widely integrated into long, narrative games. Surely the intuitive interface of Wii Sports would be merged with storytelling ambition. By and large, that didn't happen. So, spoiler alert: I have no idea what the Wii U augurs, or whether it will permanently alter how we play, alone or together.

Grand Theft Auto Vice City coming for iOS, Android

The much anticipated Grand Theft Auto - Vice City racing game is set to arrive for the Google Android and Apple iOS devices on December 6 this year. Rockstar, the maker of the game, finally revealed the date to lure the GTA fans to be ready and make some space on their mobile phones.
The GTA Vice City game will be available on the same day for the both Android and iOS devices along with the GTA Vice City 10th Anniversary Edition for other gaming platforms.

Rockstar Games has worked hard to make the GTA Vice City deliver full mobile gaming experience with several enhancements to the game. The game promises rich and high-resolution graphics that support the Apple Retina display bearing iOS devices. While on the Android side, the game has developed to support select single-core processor bearing smartphones and tablets.
The GTA Vice City is one of the most popular games from the last decade and packs hours of fun. Packing action and adventure, the GTA Vice City is an open-world game - means you can move around freely in the Miami Vice City. Player gets to play as the Tommy Vercetti, just out from prison to set his foot in the fictional Vice City.
The list of Apple iOS devices supporting the game includes iPad (2/3/4), iPhone 4/4S/5 and iPod touch (4th and 5th Generation).
Meanwhile the list of Android Phones supporting the game includes Motorola Razr, Razr Maxx, Razr Maxx HD, Motorola Atrix, Motorola Photon, Motorola Droid Bionic, HTC Rezound, HTC One X, HTC One S, HTC Evo 3D, HTC Sensation, HTC Droid Incredible 2, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Samsung Nexus S, Samsung Galaxy Note 1 & 2, Samsung S2, Samsung Galaxy R, Sony Xperia Play, Sony Xperia S, P, T & TL, Sony Walkman Z Series Media Player, Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy S3 and Google Nexus 4.
Also the Android Tablets that support GTA Vice City includes Acer Iconia, Asus Eee Pad Transformer, Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, LG Optimus Pad, Medion Lifetab, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 / 10.1, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, Sony Tablet S, Sony Tablet P, Toshiba Thrive, HTC Flyer, Google Nexus 7 and Google Nexus 10.