Week of May 13, 2007

We've posted eight new screenshots of the RPG Loki.

Microsoft Games Studio has announced Age of Empires 3: The Asian Dynasties, the newest expansion for Age of Empires 3. Typically, announcements of expansion packs aren't a surprise, especially if the game sold well. But their was a surprise in the announcement: Ensemble Studios' rival Big Huge Games will be developing the expansion.

Dreamcatcher has announced LifeSigns, a new game they are publishing for the Nintendo DS.

Moscow – May 18, 2007: Akella is pleased to reveal the lineup of its most thrilling new products that will be showcased at the E3 Media and Business Summit, a world known annual event for electronic entertainment industry to take place on July 11 – 13 in Santa Monica, California. This year Akella’s products will be displayed in booths # 326 and 328, Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Air Center.

The lineup features both sequels of well-known games and new exciting developments of various genres. 6 key titles announced for this year’s E3 Media and Business Summit include Disciples III, Jagged Alliance 3, Heavy Duty, Showdown: Scorpion, 2025: Battle for Fatherland, and Numen. “Akella has a good track of records as a developer, publisher and distributor of high quality gaming products and is committed to sustaining and promoting its position on the world market. E3 Media and Business Summit is an excellent place to go on capacity building, show our best achievements and extend existing business relations”, said Dmitry Arkhipov, Akella CEO.

Akella’s E3 Media and Business Summit lineup can be found below:

Disciples III
Release date: Q4 2007
Advances in gameplay and addition of new elements to the original ominous style of the Disciples world make the game even more vivid and interesting. The third part of this well-known sequel will enable a player to experience increased fluidity in multiplayer and less downtime in single-player.

Jagged Alliance 3
Release date: Q1 2008
After the main character’s success in the first two games, again, he is involved into the “worldwide hitman league”. A player will experience more than a dozen non-linear missions that take place day and night no matter what weather conditions are. A realistic system of character and building damage makes the picture “flow” into one’s veins filling the heart with authentic horror and drive.

Heavy Duty
Release date: Q3 2007
The planet where Heavy Duty is fulfilled is a unique, self-sufficient and realistic world. A player will be able to see mountain ranges, ice caps, feel storms in the atmosphere and…change the landscape influencing the environment by actions just like any person can do on the Earth. Any part of the planet becomes a war zone as monstrous aliens try to invade it – hot battles, ready-to-die characters and robot fights will leave this planet a real hell littered with their remains.

Showdown: Scorpion
Release date: Q4 2007
The near future is in real danger – terrorists and gangs control most of the cities inhabited with innocent and defenseless citizens. What makes it even worse is a nano-virus acquired by criminals and questioning survival of mankind. So it’s time for a Hero to appear! Scorpion is an operative who is tasked to exterminate a dangerous virus and save people. Multiple gameplay styles with visual effects and attack modes will make this extraordinary FPS an unforgettable experience.

2025: Battle for Fatherland
Release date: Q3 2007
Hostile invaders that are not so easy to fight with, fatherland suffering from pain and blood, the main character who turns out to be the last person in the world capable of managing this awful situation…what a compelling plot to take your breath away! A player can experience realistic robot movements, use diverse weapons and tactics, control an unforgettable character – a real trooper and fight for the native land.

Numen
Release date: Q4 2007
A beautiful world of Greek myths and legends, romantic ancient times…and fierce battles with monstrosities, bloody sacrifices and rituals make this game an epic adventure interesting to everybody. A player can choose 9 gods to worship and, depending on the god chosen, a character to lead to victory and prevalence over others.

CHICAGO, IL - May 17, 2007 - Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading interactive entertainment publisher and developer, and Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced an exclusive PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) collector's edition for the highly anticipated Stranglehold™. This limited edition will feature the game and a full-length version of John Woo's critically acclaimed action film "Hard Boiled" both on the same high-capacity PlayStation 3 Blu-ray disc -- a feat not possible on any other gaming system other than PS3. The collector's edition will be available in limited quantity at select retailers for a suggested retail price in the U.S. of $69.95.

We have a mini-preview of the MMORPG Sword of the New World, taking a look at the Fighter Class. Along with the preview are twelve new screenshots.

GameTap announced today today a Tomb Raider Retrospective Documentary and Re\Visioned, a Tomb Raider animated series.

Read the Press Release

Rockstar Games announced the fourth installment of their racing series, Midnight Club: Los Angeles, which will be making its way to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 sometime in 2008.

Nine seems to be the magic number for us as we have another nine game reviews today. I guess it's better than 4 8 15 16 23 42. ;)

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA – MAY 15, 2007 – Atlus, U.S.A., Inc., a leading publisher of interactive entertainment, is proud to announce that Etrian Odyssey, an epic first-person RPG adventure for the Nintendo DS™, is now shipping to stores across North America.

From the creator of Trauma Center: Under the Knife, Etrian Odyssey features stunning 3D graphics, a compelling script from Shigeo Komori, characters and monsters designed by Yuji Himukai and Shin Nagasawa, and a masterful musical score composed

Wall, NJ - May 15, 2007 SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION, the U.S. publishing arm of the SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION, today announced it has shipped ART OF FIGHTING ANTHOLOGY for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The ART OF FIGHTING ANTHOLOGY will be available across major gaming retailers across North America beginning today.

ART OF FIGHTING ANTHOLOGY is a comprehensive collection featuring the entire ART OF FIGHTING trilogy. A total of 33 classic SNK characters are included, each with their own fighting styles and unique moves. ART OF FIGHTING was SNK's second fighting-game franchise, set in the same universe as the FATAL FURY franchise, and serving as a prequel to the FATAL FURY saga. The ART OF FIGHTING series improved upon the tried-and-true 2D-fighter combat system with a spirit gauge that gave each player the ability to perform special attacks, as well as an innovative graphical-scaling camera system.

"It's great that PlayStation 2 system owners will be able to add the ART OF FIGHTING ANTHOLOGY to their game libraries at long last," said Ben Herman, president of SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION. "The ART OF FIGHTING series holds a significant place in gaming history, being one of the first games to allow players to perform a 'super attack' during a match. It also is the first fighting game to introduce graphical scaling - as opponents move away from each other, the game's camera moves out to keep both players on the screen."

Gamecock sends word that they will be publishing Croteam's next project. Though not much is said about this project, they do include three screenshots of the Serious Engine 3.

We've got a near dozen images of Pirates of the Carribbean: At World's End, the swashbuckling adventure game that allows players to assume the role of their favorite pirates.

FOSTER CITY, Calif., May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment >America Inc. (SCEA) announced today the launch of MLB 07 The Show(TM), exclusively for PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system. Already a hit on the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system and PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) handheld entertainment system, MLB 07 The Show for PS3 looks to build on its critical acclaim as the most authentic baseball
simulation on the market and knock one out of the park by taking full advantage of the power of PS3 and delivering a whole new level or realism.

The three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points(TM) to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

Pac-Man (R) (NES(R), 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points)

Ninja Gaiden (TM) (NES(R), 1 player, 500 Wii Points)

Ninja Spirit (TurboGrafx16, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points)