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Game’s Release Coincides With Announcements About Bonus TMS Content, New Website, and Free DLC for the Original Splosion Man July 13th, 2011 - Austin, TX - Ms. Splosion Man releases today on Xbox LIVE Arcade, but amongst the joy comes the sudden announcement that her TMS could strike at any moment. TMS, or Title Managed Storage, is a special feature of the Xbox LIVE® service that allows Twisted Pixel to present free extra Challenges for the players on a regular basis. These week-long Challenges appear off of the Main Menu and take a level from the game and give it special rules and new content. There’s no predicting the effects of TMS, you just have to adapt to the new rules and do your best to survive until the end. Leaderboards created especially for these TMS challenges rank players on their success at playing the level. “From time to time, we will be awarding real prizes and other fun stuff to the top finishers, and sometimes random players, from the Challenge’s leaderboards,” states Jay Stuckwisch, Marketing Director. “We are finding it harder and harder to ‘one up’ ourselves with new ways of giving away free stuff to people who buy our games, but TMS has opened an exciting new door for us.” Worried that you’ll miss the signs of Ms. Splosion Man’s approaching TMS? Not to worry, the brand new version of www.MsSplosionMan.com launches today, with a wealth of information on story, character bios, game information, and everything you need to know about the next TMS challenge. Free downloadable extras like wallpapers, game soundtrack, and the Ms. Splosion Man development blog are all available there as well. Ms. Splosion Man has garnered rave reviews in the days leading up to her release and follows the adventures of Ms. Splosion Man as she splodes her way free of Big Science and out into the world. Featuring 50 single-player levels and a separate 50 level multiplayer campaign, this sequel to the award-winning Splosion Man brings a host of new gameplay and features like ghost leaderboards, new mechanics, new bosses, extra gameplay modes, and tons of unlockable content. Ms. Splosion Man retails for only 800 points and can be found on Xbox LIVE Arcade. Check out the new trailer below: Click here to view the article

Telltale Games, the leading independent publisher of cinematic adventures and the pioneer of episodic content delivery, today announced that the highly-anticipated Puzzle Agent 2, the sequel to the smash hit game Puzzle Agent, will be available for purchase on June 30. Puzzle Agent 2 for PC and Mac can be pre-ordered at the discounted price of $8.99 from www.telltalegames.com, and as a special bonus, includes the original Puzzle Agent game for free. Touch screen players are not left out of the action either as Puzzle Agent 2 will also be available on iPad and iPhone. For series newcomers, the original Puzzle Agent for iOS will be on sale for the period of June 7-14 for $2.99 on iPad and $0.99 on iPhone. “The Puzzle Agent series illustrates what can happen when top indie development talent has an opportunity to shine in front of a big audience,” said Telltale CEO Dan Connors. “As the first game in our Pilot Program, Puzzle Agent validates our decision to create the program and set the stage for Puzzle Agent 2 as well as other amazing indie projects.” Puzzle Agent 2 builds on its award-winning predecessor with a wider variety of rewarding puzzles based on the feedback of Puzzle Agent fans. Developed in collaboration with comic artist and animator Graham Annable, it garnered PC Gamer’s “Puzzle Game of the Year” award and IGN’s Best iPhone Game of E3 2010. Puzzle Agent 2 picks up after FBI Agent Nelson Tethers “solved” the Scoggins Eraser Factory case. However, with factory foreman Isaac Davner missing and the “Hidden People” mystery largely unsolved, troubled Agent Tethers goes rogue and ventures back to the eerie town of Scoggins, Minnesota to solve the biggest case of his career. Telltale Games is providing a first look at Puzzle Agent 2 at this year’s E3 conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Room #8205 in the Concourse Hall. Click here to view the article

Our good friends at Hyperduck Soundworks are working with Extend Interactive again on their next game So Many Me. The pre-alpha trailer below has some rough sound work that The Ducks would like you to ignore and just enjoy the game play. Take a look and let us know what you think. http://vimeo.com/25086057 Click here to view the article

Be sure to check out the screenshots and game trailer here: http://www.ninjabee.com/akimi-village/ Click here to view the article

Where did the fun go? Over the past few years games have become more and more dependent on real world situations, social commentary, and political correctness to drive their narratives along. The days of the simplistic story and overall fun gaming seem to be slowly coming to an end, with little resistance from us, the gamers. The select few games at the top echelon in gaming are becoming more and more like simulations and less and less like the games that started the industry. “Games as art” has become the battle cry for almost every company out there trying to reach the top. While I have no issue with that comparison, what concessions are we allowing companies to make their art? Sacrificing fun for art, in a hobby that was built for fun, is truly sad and somewhat asinine. Back in 1985 when I received the NES and Super Mario Bros. as a birthday gift, after much begging and pleading, I knew from pressing Start that I was a gamer from that day forward. The story, as everyone knows, revolved around a kidnapped princess. However, without reading the manual you didn't know that until the end of world 1-4 when the major crux of the story was, "I'm sorry Mario but the Princess is in another castle". No matter how hard you try the sheer fun of running, jumping, and shooting fire from god knows where never felt forced or serious at all. It literally was just fun in its simplest form. Even before the NES the Atari, Commodore 64, and even Tennis for Two were all just "fun". No social commentary. No "art" comparisons. Just fun. Fast-forward to present day. The biggest franchises in gaming are arguably Call of Duty, Halo, Gears of War and many others of the same type. All of which amount to "war simulations". The stories try and try to take themselves seriously to convey the argument of "Videogames should be considered art" as best they can, but at what cost? I tried playing through Call of Duty 4 and found myself getting more and more depressed by the story that was playing out. The "shocking twist" that happens to one of the main characters did more to make me not want to continue than anything else in the game. If I want to see death, images of war, and the horrors of history or present day, I would turn on the history channel or the nightly news. Yet a game that resorts to dick and fart jokes or making off color jokes about things such as abortion are literally shit on by critics and most players alike for being juvenile/crude. The people that find these diversions from reality fun and funny are more often than not ostracized or called out for not wanting to have everything in gaming be so damned serious. A good story does not have to have some social or moral commentary to be meaningful or fun. Hell, some of the best games don’t even have a story. This is not to say that the games mentioned can’t be fun but I have yet, in a single-player environment, found anything remotely fun about them. Multiplayer can be a plus in quite a few of these games. Whether it be rolling through the story in co-op and saving your buddy’s ass from certain death or just making up your own game types in open world environments, this can be the saving grace for some games. Take GTA IV, it is/was a critical darling. Yet, the overall story just got monotonous and wasn’t very fun. However, get a group of friends together (drunk or otherwise) and get set for some truly fun times. Non-scripted, no story, everything as YOU make it. Boiled down to its simplest form, it is fun. Yes, I understand the word "fun" is all a matter of opinion and everyone has their own views on what the word means. However, any gamer my age can agree that pouring hours and hours in to Super Mario Bros. was a hell of a lot more fun than seeing a group of innocent people being gunned down with machine guns, mass graves being covered up, or an atomic bomb going off in the middle of a populated city. If "games as art" have to sacrifice the fun to gain critical acclaim or we have to be serious constantly throughout our pixelated adventures, this old timey gamer may need to find a new hobby. Click here to view the article

MonkeyPaw Games and Frozen Codebase released the first full gameplay trailer and a ton of screenshots for the upcoming HD remake of the classic Burgertime. Take a look at the the screenshots below and the full press release after the break. We will have the trailer uploaded later today. Click here to view the article

The Gunstringer and Fruit Ninja Kinect Packaged Together This September Get the Ultimate Kinect Bundle! A Shootin’ and Slashin’ Good Time for $39.99! Mark your calendars for a bullet-slinging, fruit-slashing party this September because Twisted Pixel’s Kinect-enabled action shooter “The Gunstringer” AND the highly anticipated “Fruit Ninja Kinect” will be bundled together at retail for just $39.99 USD! Whether you shoot-em-up or slice-em-up, YOU are the controller in these two fun, action-packed titles. The retail bundle will be available September 13 in North America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia; and September 16 in EMEA. In “The Gunstringer”, you control a fiery gun-toting marionette through his adventures, combining solo platforming and shooting mechanics into fun, competitive action with a full suite of collectibles, unlockables, abilities, rewards and more. Plus, as a special bonus to celebrate the release of “The Gunstringer,” players can also download a free add-on pack for the game at launch called “The Wavy Tube Man Chronicles” which pits players against the time-traveling son of Wavy Tube Man, the first boss players battle in the game. In this add-on, Wavy Tube Man Jr. steals a time machine to prevent his father’s death at the hands of “The Gunstringer,” and it’s up to players to battle classic western cowboys and futuristic warriors to save the world from destruction. Along with the disc for “The Gunstringer,”the retail package will include a token code for the full downloadable version of “Fruit Ninja Kinect” via Xbox LIVE. “Fruit Ninja Kinect” is an amazing evolution of the slice-em-up genre created by Halfbrick, which brings the worldwide mobile gaming phenomenon to Kinect so you can use your arms as blades in an epic battle against the world’s most delicious produce is just beginning. Is September too long to wait to sharpen your Ninja skills? Don’t wait! Buy “Fruit Ninja Kinect” via Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 on August 10 and get a jump start on your friends. Finally, pre-order “The Gunstringer” from select US and European retailers today, and you’ll receive two tokens for a free Avatar Prop from the game, available exclusively through the pre-order program! Click here to view the article

San Diego, January 05, 2010—Mad Catz® Interactive, Inc. (AMEX/TSX: MCZ), a leading worldwide third-party interactive entertainment accessory provider, today announced a new range of Licensed Nintendo accessories for use with Wii™, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DS™ Lite video game systems. The new range of accessories marks the first Nintendo licensed products to be released by Mad Catz on Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS Lite video game systems. Check out the full list after the break. The new range of licensed accessories include: · Wireless SenseBar – Wii Battery or AC adapter powered, the Wireless SenseBar features a built-in timer which can be set for one, two or three hours of operation in order to conserve the lifespan of your batteries. MSRP: $19.99 · Premium Suede Folio Case – Nintendo DSi Ideal for the discerning gamer, the Premium Suede Folio Case presents a fashionable yet practical solution for carrying the Nintendo DSi, up to 6 DS games, and up to 2 extra styli. With micro-suede inner lining, the console, games and extra styli are certain to travel in style. MSRP: $14.99 · Premium Suede Game Wallet – Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS Lite The Premium Suede Folio Wallet presents a fashionable yet practical solution for carrying up to 6 game cartridges and up to 2 extra styli on the go. Featuring micro-suede inner lining, games and extra styli are sure to travel in style. MSRP: $19.99 · Brain Pak – Nintendo DSi Comprised of a protective hard case with a built-in adjustable strap, the Brain Pak helps ensure that the handheld stays in the palm of the player when held in a horizontal or vertical position. Perfect for puzzle or ‘train your brain’ style games, all Nintendo DSi buttons and ports are still accessible when the console is safely nestled within the play-and-protect case. Includes two clear styli to match the protective clear case. MSRP: $14.99 · ArmorStore Case – Nintendo DSi Provides convenient storage and protection for Nintendo DSi, three DS games, three SD cards and an extra stylus. The durable, impact-resistant case permits access to all buttons and ports, allowing for unhindered game play. The easy-to-install design allows the console to be stored and protected, making the ArmorStore Case the ideal solution for the gamer on the go. MSRP: $9.99 · Sockz 2-Pak – Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi Lite The Sockz are durable, washable, and compatible with both Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS Lite. Vibrant colors, high quality design and plush feel make the licensed Sockz a fun and contemporary method for storing and protecting the console. Includes two different color Sockz in each pack. MSRP: $9.99 · Stylus and Screen Protector Pak – Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi Lite Features a trio of high-quality styli, ideal for all handheld gaming needs. Designed for comfort and provided in colors which match the console, the Styli have been designed to fit flush in either the Nintendo DSi or Nintendo DS Lite video game systems. A set of screen protectors (with a squeegee to simplify application) for both consoles is included as an added bonus. MSRP: $7.99 · Stylus Pak– Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi Lite Features twin high-quality styli, ideal for all handheld gaming needs. Designed for comfort and provided in colors which match the console, the Styli have been designed to fit flush in either the Nintendo DSi or Nintendo DS Lite video game systems. A unique thumb stylus which simulates analog joystick control, is included in pack, providing an alternative method of handheld game play. MSRP: $7.99 · Screen Protector Pak – Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi Lite Consisting of two sets of high-quality protective layers, the Screen Protector Pak will help shield the screens of your Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS Lite systems from scratches, smudges and fingerprints, helping to keep your handheld in prime condition at all times. MSRP: $5.99 Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz commented: The new range of Mad Catz licensed accessories is expected begin shipping to North America and key European territories beginning spring 2010. Click here to view the article

Jan 04, 2010 – A Connecticut man has become the first person in video gaming history to top the fictional "Costanza Score" made famous in a classic episode of Seinfeld. According to Twin Galaxies International, the official organization for scorekeeping on all eras of video gaming since 1981, the fictional 860,630 points held by Seinfeld character George Costanza (played by Jason Alexander) has been broken on an original Frogger machine for the first time in history by Pat Laffaye of Westport, CT.Mr. Laffaye's new World Record mark of 896,980 points was verified by Twin Galaxies referee Eric Akeson and announced by Twin Galaxies at the stroke of midnight on New Years as the ball dropped in Times Square. "Even though it was imagined by television writers, Pat has broken one of the most famous scores in pop culture," Twin Galaxies Division Manager Patrick Scott Patterson said. "Pat's amazing score will now forever be attached to not only Twin Galaxies history, but pop culture trivia as well." Pat Laffaye, also a record holder on the classic game Paperboy, has been in a long-running duel with gaming champion Donald Hayes for the top Frogger ranking. Twin Galaxies offered a cash prize to any gamer who could top the Seinfeld score in 2005 that no gamer was able to claim before the deadline or since until Laffaye's score. Twin Galaxies, established in Iowa in 1981, tracks record scores and times for video games going as far back as the 1970s to current day hits for the Nintendo Wii, XBox 360, and PlayStation 3 via it's website at: http://www.TwinGalaxies.com Click here to view the article

Today Ubisoft announced that both Splinter Cell: Conviction and R.U.S.E. have been delayed in to the companies next fiscal year. While Splinter Cell was given a release date, R.U.S.E. was given no tentative date. With both originally scheduled for release in February and Splinter Cell's numerous delays, this may not be a good sign for either. Click here to view the article

Download Complete Trogdor Episode from Telltale’s Game Series Today only at www.trogday.com SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – January 13, 2010 – Happy Trogday, everyone! Seven years ago today, the beefy-armed dragon, Trogdor, first appeared on HomestarRunner.com, burninating the hearts and minds of audiences around the globe in the Strong Bad email installment, “Dragon.” In celebration of this momentous anniversary, Telltale Inc is giving away the very special Trogdor-themed episode of Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People for free at http://www.trogday.com. As part of this celebration, Telltale is also making the full season available for $19.95 (reduced from its regular $29.95 list price). First drawn into existence through the artistic aplomb of Strong Bad, Trogdor is best known for terrorizing countrysides and burninating peasants and their thatch-roofed cottages at every available opportunity. Over the years, the green scaled menace has exploded in popularity, with devotees paying tribute through homemade offerings, including delicious Trogdor-shaped baked goods, Halloween costumes, custom plushies, and some pretty legendary tattoos. "From the instant I drew Trogdor, I knew I'd done something special, something lasting,” said Trogdor creator and all-around awesome dude, Strong Bad. “Even cooler than that butt with three cheeks I one time drew." In the Trogdor episode of Telltale’s game series, entitled 8-Bit is Enough, the beefy-armed dragon of legend has broken free of his arcade cabinet prison and is burninating Free Country, USA without remorse! With the help of classic 8-bit Videlectrix characters, Strong Bad must find a way to conquer the scorching menace and restore Strong Badia to its former glory. This episode is the fifth episode of the critically acclaimed five game series. More information can be found at http://www.telltalegames.com/strongbad Click here to view the article

Shoot 1Up Developed by: Mommy's Best Games Platforms: Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Indie Games) Players: Singleplayer and 2-Player Local Co-Op Unrated by the ESRB Link to Purchase from Microsoft The Breakdown Beached whales, pies, random ships, and a gigantic metallic breasted woman that shoots glowing bullets. Those are just a few of the enemies you’ll face in this shoot ‘em up. The game can draw comparisons to Ikaruga, but strays from the normal conventions of a shoot ‘em up style game or shmup as they have become known. The Important Stuff Described by the developer (Mommy’s Best Games) as a “shoot ‘em up for regular gamers”, this is one of the best Xbox Indie Games I’ve played to date. You take control of not just one ship, but your initial 3 ships right from the start. As you pick up extra ships through 1-Ups, they are all on screen at once. You can have up to 30 of them on screen at one time and potentially up to 120 if you play the local only co-op and get the “Mirror” power up. You determine how far apart or close together your ships are using the right and left triggers. This is a risk/reward scenario, though. The further apart your ships are the harder they are to maneuver around the enemies, but you get a more powerful plasma shot. This definitely brings a new level of strategy to the game play. The bullet patterns aren’t entirely crazy in this one, as they are in most shmups. If you want more of a challenge you can crank the difficulty and the game speed for more of a challenge. Tips and Tricks - Make use of the larger plasma cannon when you can, but do it safely - As with all shmups, try and learn the enemy attack patterns Reaction While the game may be on the short side, it is definitely a great top down shooter. The new gameplay mechanic of having all your ships/lives on screen at once is really fun and can get pretty intense in the later levels. The risk/reward of the more powerful plasma shot versus maneuverability is something I think other games should try and add. For a small developer, this is a pretty big idea for the genre and for only 80 MS Points ($1) this is one that everyone should try out. Give it a demo at the very least. Spawn gives this one an 9 out of 10 Click here to view the article

Developer: Capcom, Eighting Publisher: Capcom Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360 Players: 1 - 8 Players (Only 1-on-1 with 8 player lobbies) Genre: Fighting For more than a decade fans of the Marvel Vs Capcom series have begged and pleaded for a follow-up to the wild and crazy fight fest that was Marvel Vs Capcom 2. With the release of Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds' release did everyone get what they wanted? Does round 3 of this legendary arcade staple live up to the hype? Read on fellow comic and fighting game fans to find out if we got what we wanted or are we still waiting for a great follow-up to this great series. When you first start up this game, you can tell right from the beginning that a lot of love and care went in to the latest outing in the franchise. Right from the intro video you will catch glimpses of the new characters that are being introduced. With the roster whittled down from the insane 56 playable characters of MvC2 to a standard 36 characters and 2 available for download. This would initially seem like a negative, however after the palette swapping and redundant move sets that was rampant in part 2, this time around each character has their own play style and move sets. This translates to a ton of play variety and no two characters play the same. Almost anyone can find a character that will just "feel right" to play and almost every character is well balanced. Speaking of move sets, the controls in the game are extremely well balanced. There are 2 control schemes available. One is the "Simple" controls. This limits your move set but makes them extremely easy to pull off with just the press of a button. Also, Hyper Combos can be achieved with multiple button presses. This truly does simplify the game to the point of being cheap as hell. This scheme would be great if it was limited to local only play, but you can take it online and literally watch your win/loss percentage skyrocket. Hopefully Capcom will realize this and put in some limitations on this scheme being used online. The "Standard" controls have been re-tooled to work better with a standard console controller. There are 4 main attack buttons, down from the usual 6. Light, Medium, Heavy, and the new "Launcher" buttons are all mapped to the face buttons on the controller. The right and left bumpers and triggers are used for calling in partners and pulling off Hyper Combos. This redesign really takes some time to get used to for MvC fans, but after a few matches you realize it truly is a better console design. My favorite change is the air combo starter is the same for all characters, which is truly a godsend. Graphics and sound are truly the most impressive in the series. The Street Fighter IV-esque view really works well to give the game a good depth. Anyone that has seen and loved the almost seizure inducing visuals of the Marvel Vs Capcom series won't be disappointed with this one. Colorful moves and insane Hyper Combos have been a series mainstay, but have been amped up to 11 in this latest edition. Remixed songs from throughout the series are really great and sound amazing through a good surround sound. Also, voice acting is pretty stellar and the option to use the Japanese voices for the Capcom characters is a really nice touch. Story mode for each character is told with a comic book panel style ending which really works well in my view. Some may be sad that there are no fully voice acted video endings, but I'm okay with this omission as it gives the game a more comic book feel. There are subtle touches throughout the game that you may not even notice at first. Hearing Phoenix scream out for Scott when she is taken down or hearing Magneto say Wolverine is lucky he didn't pull the adamantium out of his body again really go a long way to give a cohesive feel to the game and the Marvel and Capcom universes. Now, we'll move in to the main issues I have with the game, the online lobby system. I can't say the online play is bad at all. No dropped frames, no lag, etc. However, the 8 person lobby system really needs an overhaul. Basically, 2 players start the match and the winner stays to fight the next person. This is easily trying to mimic the "next quarter up" feel of an arcade. While the concept is great it could really benefit from allowing the waiting players to watch the fight happening. That's right, if you are 8th in line, you sit and wait. This is honestly pretty boring. Why not allow 3 on 3 play as well? Let each player pick their favorite character and start up a huge battle royal? Also, a replay system would be great to watch back your own matches or even the top ranked players' matches. For fans of the series, this game will be a godsend. Tight controls, great sound, and amazing visuals make everything come together to give us almost everything we wanted. However, a few missteps may turn off some of the more fair-weather fans to the series. Simple controls make the game way too easy and some issues with the online play really should be addressed. Those few quibbles aside, I really recommend this game to fighting game and comic book fans. So, until next time my fellow gaming fans I say this...EXCELSIOR! Click here to view the article

God of War 3 Developed by: Santa Monica Studio Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment Platform: PS3 Players: 1 Rated M by the ESRB The Breakdown Kratos has been on a mission of vengeance for the death of his family for over 5 years. Gods, Titans, and a bestiary full of monsters have stood in his way, but not even death could stop Kratos’ quest for the revenge he so desperately desires. Using a narrative that ties together every single game in the series, including God of War: Chains of Olympus on the PSP, the death of Zeus is finally within Kratos' grasp in this, the final game, in God of War series. The Important Stuff Picking up right where God of War 2 left off, Kratos is on the back of the mother of the Titans, Gaia, as they ascend Mount Olympus. Gaia and Kratos are soon attacked by Poseidon. Both Gaia and Poseidon utterly dwarf Kratos. During the battle you are forced to make your way across the back, arms, and hands of Gaia to make your way to the eventual face-off with Poseidon. This opening sequence of the game is one in a laundry list of incredible set pieces that really give you a sense of the grand scale the game is trying to achieve. And achieve this goal it does. On his way to the final battle with Zeus, Kratos is forced to face lesser gods, such as the aforementioned battle with Poseidon, a battle with Helios (Which is different than the demo we were given, which was surprising.), and a chase with Hermes. The controls are fairly typical of the series thus far, but there are enough tweaks to make this installment feel new and different enough. The ability to swap between weapons mid combo is a very welcome addition. Also, this time around, the other weapons you are given actually have a place. You won’t just be using the Blades of Athena throughout the entire game. Each weapon feels different enough and you may even find a favorite other than the standard blades. Upgrading the weapons is the same as before, you collect red orbs and upgrade the weapons as you like. Again, just like the other games in the series, you have no control over the camera, which may cause some rolling around more while trying to adjust the camera. After a little while playing though, you get back in to the swing of things and realize the camera control isn’t really necessary. I never found a place where the camera felt like it was working against me. Graphically the game is super impressive. I’d go out on a limb and say this is the best looking PS3 game to date. As you play though the graphics seem to get better and better. It’s not just the cut scenes that are truly impressive either, as Kratos kills more and more enemies he will become drenched in blood, in real time. There are also so many subtle details that really impress, such as the scaled skin on the Gorgons. As I said, this truly is one of the more impressive PS3 games to date. The ending is very satisfying for fans of the series, but may irritate some. The final battles are epic in scale and you get a real adrenaline rush when you realize you are getting close to the end and start going through those last few quick time events. As with the previous games, most of the finales of the fights are played out through quick time events. The subtle change to these is very helpful. Instead of the button presses being randomly distributed on the screen throughout the fights, they coincide with the actual layout of the controller. Meaning, if you have to press the “O” button, it will always be on the right hand side of the screen, “X” is on the left, etc. There is one section of the game that may take you out of the action by incorporating the actual Playstation buttons in to the game. While small, this may bother some players. Tips and Tricks - Certain enemies require specific weapons to defeat. - Learn each weapon’s strengths and weaknesses. - Be sure to look for upgrades where you see lingering gold dust. - Use magic wisely. In the right situation it can deal tons of damage. - Utilize your roll to get out of the way quickly and keep from being cornered. Reaction I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of the game. The controls are tight and responsive. There were also enough changes made for everything to feel fresh and new again, while still being a God of War game. The game is a graphical powerhouse and is easily the best looking PS3 game to date. The overall story was very well tied up at the end and is filled with just the right amount of twists and turns that will keep you riveted and wanting more. Kratos’ journey for revenge has been a long time in the making and really is one of the best series in gaming today. While I am sad to see it come to an end, if this is how it was meant to go out from the start, I am glad to see things went out with a very big bang. While most long running series tend to lose something in their sequels, this one stayed the course and got better and better. I would highly recommend not only this game, but the entire series to anyone. Spawn gives this one 10 out of 10 Click here to view the article

Plants Versus Zombies Developed by: Popcap Games Published by: Popcap Games Players: 1-2 (Local Only) Rated E10 (Everyone 10+) by the ESRB The Breakdown The zombies, they’re coming…to your Xbox. One of the best takes on the tower defense genre has come to Xbox Live Arcade. Do reworked controls, new game types, and extremely polished graphics make this a worthwhile addition to your Arcade game collection? Read on to find out. The Important Stuff Plants Versus Zombies has become the standard tower defense game for most people. Starting out on the PC and making the excellent jump to the iPhone and iPad, the game faces the same challenges as most point and click games do when making the jump to a console, the controls. How do you keep that same feeling of using a mouse with analog sticks? Luckily for us, Popcap has really done a great job in making the controls feel just right in this latest port. A lot of tower defense games could take a cue from Popcap and tune their controls better. Overall, the game play remains largely unchanged from previous versions, which isn’t a bad thing at all. You’re still defending your front yard, back yard, and roof from the oncoming zombie onslaught. All the mini games from the other versions are intact as well. A new mini game that is roughly based on one of Popcap’s other XBLA titles (Heavy Weapon) brings you a super powered pea shooter to face the zombies. The addition of multiplayer and co-op is very welcome. In co-op, each player plants their own plants in the same yard. You have to work together and have a game plan or your brains will belong to the zombies. There are some really great co-op mini games as well. In the competitive multiplayer mode, one player takes control of the plants and one takes control of the zombies. This really does lead to some amazingly good times. Tips and Tricks - Always have a cheap attack plant at your disposal - Be sure buy Crazy Dave’s slot and plant upgrades as soon as you can - Use Wall-Nuts and Tall-Nuts to create a buffer for your attacking plants Reaction As a pretty big fan of almost every version of Plants Versus Zombies seeing an XBLA version come out was really great. I’ve purchased every version of the game that I could (PC and iPhone) and have played it on the iPad. While I really do prefer the controls on the iPhone/iPad, the jump to the console really does work well. Using the controller didn’t feel awkward at all and as I said above, many tower defense games should take a look at what Popcap has done here and take notes. The mini-games remain a highlight for me. Wall-nut bowling remains my favorite. There’s just something about rolling that big eyed walnut down the lanes and watching it bounce around a horde of oncoming zombies that just makes me smile. The co-op and multiplayer are unexpectedly fun, but do bring up the only negative that I can say about the game and for some this may be a big detriment. No online play, local only. While this isn’t a huge problem for me, for most gamers nowadays, online play is a must. Overall the game is a very good port of an excellent game that brings enough new features to warrant the $15 price tag. Click here to view the article

[Review] - Hydrophobia Developed by: Dark Energy Digital Published by: Microsoft Game Studios Players: 1 Rated M for Mature by the ESRB The Breakdown A group of terrorists, known as the Malthusians, has taken over the luxury liner the Queen of the World. As Kate Wilson, you are on a mission to escape the sinking wreckage with your life. All the while your co-workers and friends are dying around you. The Important Stuff Hydrophobia is a typical 3rd person action-adventure game that integrates some of the most amazing water effects to date. The tale of a giant luxury liner, that has taken the place of cities due to the “great population flood”, under siege by a terrorist group makes for some very tense moments that will have you on the edge of your seat. As water rushes in around you, you can really see where the time was spent on the game. The HydroEngine, which was created specifically for the game, and allows for more realistic water effects that are different each time you play the levels. Unfortunately, great water effects and an engaging story can only do so much to mask the unresponsive and sluggish and unnecessarily complicated controls. Jumping over a fiery pit to a balcony should not be a complicated affair. Furthermore, it really shouldn’t send you careening in the wrong direction if you do get the button combination right. There are also issues with story and cut scene pacing, which seems to be a trend in gaming in general. I shouldn’t get a cut scene every 10 to 15 steps my character takes. The game really takes you out of the action with this tactic. It will also show you things in the cut scenes that your character should be able to do, that look really awesome, but sadly they don’t allow it. Reaction Overall Hydrophobia isn’t a bad game and really does show flashes of being a top notch Xbox Live Arcade Game, but unfortunately falls short in some very important areas. With great arcade games like Limbo and Splosion Man, lackluster controls that take you out of the action really are a no-no in today’s gaming market. Also, going overboard with the cut scenes has to stop. Hopefully if we complain enough, developers will hear us and cut back some. As the first in a planned trilogy, I think Dark Energy Digital should be able to tighten up on a few areas and put the HydroEngine to good use in the inevitable sequel and give us something really spectacular. As it stands however, I can’t really recommend spending the Microsoft Points on this first installment. Click here to view the article

Developed by: X10 Studios Players: 1 Platforms: PC (Available through Gamer's Gate, Desura, Steam, Direct2Drive, and directly from X10) Drawing from various classics such as Metroid and Mega Man X, A.R.E.S. Exinction Agenda is the first chapter in an episodic side-scrolling shooter. Set in the 21st Century, Earch is over polluted and we are facing extinction. A processing station is sent in to Earth orbit to help with this problem, but is overrun by "zytron" that kills the station's systems and turns all the machines hostile. ARES is a robot tasked with clearing out the station, rescuing the hostages, and stopping the machines. Graphically the game is quite impressive. There is a consistent frame rate and everything has a very futuristic aesthetic. The character designs have an anime feel to them which really lends well to this type of game. ARES' look really great after his armor upgrade and in motion really does give a Mega Man X feel that I love. The bosses at the end of each level are really impressive and give a good sense of scale to the game. I would be remiss if I did not mention the music in the game. Our good friends at the newly re-branded HyperDuck SoundWorks do one hell of a job with the tunes in the game. When I interviewed the guys a few months back, we got to sample some of the tracks from the game and I have to say, the remainder of the music did not disappoint. I can not wait to see what these guys have up next for us and hope to nail them down for another interview soon. **Just a subtle hint there for the guys** I seriously urge everyone to go to the Duck's page and take a listen to their stuff, it's amazing. The controls are fairly well balanced. Keyboard and mouse controls are available, but in all honesty, a gamepad or Xbox 360 controller really is a must for this one. Heck, even the explanation of the controls shows an Xbox controller for reference. Each weapon has a good "feel" to it and allowing the player to use the right analog stick to fine tune their firing was a great decision. If I had to pick something to complain about in the game, I would say the jumps feel too heavy. There were a couple of very frustrating areas that took multiple tries to get through because of the jumping issues. I did eventually get used to this, but a little more tweaking in this would really have helped a good bit. Overall, this is a great side-scrolling shooter that fans of the Mega Man X series will love. Great music and suprisingly good graphics round out a pretty solid package. The few jumping issues really don't detract all that much from the experience and could easily be addressed in a later patch, if the developers so desire. I'd highly recommend this one to anyone that wants an old school gaming experience with new school graphical polish and some really bumping music. Go out and drop the $10 on this one now. Links to buy: Steam Direct 2 Drive X10 Studios Click here to view the article

Developer: Double Fine Productions Publisher: THQ Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360 Players: 1-Player Genre: Adventure/Puzzle Tim Schafer and the merry band of misfits at Double Fine are known for their originality in games. Stacking is not your typical puzzle/adventure game, but it is completely infused with Double Fine's unique and quirky style and humor. Fans of the developer are used to this and have fallen in love with it, but the real question is, can it bring in a whole new breed of fan? The overall story of the game is very engaging. A Matryoshka doll family, the Blackmores, are forced to sell off all of their belongings because of the disapperance of their father. A Master Chimney sweep that gets a new job working for The Baron at his new enterprise. As Charlie Blackmore you are easily dismissed by everyone in the world. You receive a letter that lets you know all your siblings have been sold in to slave labor and need your help. You set out to save them from The Baron with only your heart and courage in tow. The graphics in the game are really great. Especially for a downloadable game. The miniature world of these stacking dolls is littered with posts made from sewing pins and suitcases made of matchstick boxes. The 1930s silent film aesthetic is used to great effect. Cutscenes are all created in a diorama style, with all the dialogue being spoken by cards. These small touches make for an engaging world that you just don't want to put down. Gameplay is no less impressive. With Charlie being so small, he can easily "stack" with another Matryoshka doll that is one size larger than him. Each subsequent stacking doll needs to follow suite. You can't just jump from one doll to another without taking this in to account and this is where the puzzle game aspect really starts to shine. You are given a goal and you must find the "special doll" that will help you achieve this goal. Also littered throughout each level are other special dolls to be found, all in the effor to 100% each level. Each special doll also has a unique ability that are used to solve the puzzles or even find alternate solutions. There are also "hi-jinks" that are hidden goals in each level. They are all very inventive and extremely entertaining. Each hi-jink is basically rewarding you for disrupting other doll's lives. Each special doll type, puzzle solution, hi-jink, and more are tracked in a pretty unique way. Charlie meets a hobo named Levi that tracks each and every thing in the game. While this may seem just completely random or just a way to track things, it is very indicitive of Double Fine. The game controls well, but the dolls control like you would expect a doll to control. It takes a bit to get used to, but doesn't hamper the game at all. The camera on the other hand could use a little work. Stacking really is fun and doesn't lose its charm as you go through it. There are some issues with controls initially and the camera has issues, but there is nothing showstopping. The game is graphically impressive and the small touches are what make you want to keep playing. The silent film setting really does justice to the Matryoshka dolls and makes for a great overall presentation. As a downloadable game, there is a lot to find and do in the game. It is fairly short and I think that helps the fun to not wear off quickly. I'd recommed this to any Double Fine fan and would say that anyone that enjoys puzzle games should at least give the demo a shot. Click here to view the article

Published by: Beatshapers / tastyplay.com Platform: PSN Players: 1 Mix Breakout, pinball, and action-puzzling and you will get Stardrone, Beatshapers' Playstation Move enabled (DualShock controls are available as well.) foray in to Playstation Network gaming. How does StarDrone stack up against the multitude of action-puzzlers out there? Keep reading and see what makes this one special. Overall story is nonexistent here. You are a ship that is set loose in a puzzle with fairly straightfoward tasks. Light the stars, collect the items, or cross the line before the time runs out. It sounds simple, but once you get going in the level, controls are limited to attaching to posts around the level and using momentum as your control. Zero gravity also play a big roll here. Once you get going, you can't stop without attaching to the posts. There is a map of the level that shows a top down view of the map to see where your missing pieces of the puzzle. Also, you can freely view the map to further explore missing pieces. Over 50 levels of play, concepts for each one are introduced throughout and then thrown together in later levels. There are also upgradees for your ship, such as shields or weapons that will come in handy as tougher enemies are introduced. The main key to the game is it's target times for each level. The game is strangely addicting and you'll find yourself going back to earlier levels to try and beat your own time. Eventually you'll be hooked enough to try and beat the par time for each level, which in most cases are really diabolical. They will keep you wondering how in the world you are supposed to get through the level in those short times. StarDrone is a fun game. For some it may not be your cup of tea, but you can easily see the charm for those that get truly hooked. Playstation Move controls really bring a new aspect to the game that PC gamers didn't get to experience. With over 50 levels, tight controls, and a huge amount of replay value this is a really good value for a fairly inexpensive game. Click here to view the article

Developed by: Team Meat Players: 1 Platforms: XBLA, (Windows, Mac, and Wiiware coming in November) Rated T (Teen) by the ESRB Team Meat You are Meat Boy. You love Bandage Girl and she loves you. Nobody likes Dr. Fetus and that pisses him off. He steals Bandage Girl and it is your job to save her. This is a simple premise that leads to one of the most perfect platform games in, not just recent, but in all of gaming history. At an introductory price of $10, this is the best game money can buy. This reviewer hasn’t played a game in recent memory that has hit every mark that I had set for it in my mind. And in most cases it well exceeded my expectations. The controls are simple and perfect. You jump with the “A” button and you sprint with the “X” or “RT” button. It’s really that simple and they work flawlessly. You can never use them as an excuse for a bad run through a level. If you die, it is your own fault. The music and sound effects are in a word, AMAZING. dBsoundworks does an awesome job yet again. You may not know these guys, but I can almost guarantee that you’ve heard their work previously. Their growth from games like Canabalt, Gravity Hook, and Steambirds is astounding and their passion for the indie games scene really shines in Super Meat Boy. I think we’ll be hearing more from these guys in the future for sure. Level designs are flawless. Some may seem near impossible as you progress through the game, but that is part of the games overall charm. Once you die for the 30 or 40th time on a level you will want to give up, but once you finally make your way through to your beloved Bandage Girl, the sense of accomplishment is astounding. After completing each level, a replay of all your tries plays all at once. Showing each death and following through to your final accomplished run. It’s a small touch that is so brilliant you will smile each time you see it. There are over 300 levels in the game consisting of the main game levels, dark versions of each one that up the difficulty, warp zone levels, and free DLC from “Teh Internets”. All in all there are 300+ levels. As you progress, new game mechanics open up, as well as, new characters from other great indie games. Tim from Braid, Gish, characters from Castle Crashers, Alien Hominid, N+ and more all make appearances in the game. Each character has their own special abilities in addition to being able to perform all of Meat Boy’s acrobatic moves. If I had to make any criticism at all about the game, it’s the fact that you can’t share your level replays. Honestly, this isn’t a huge knock but would have been a very welcome feature so you can show off your skills without having to use any kind of capture card setup to do so. This little caveat doesn’t make a bit of difference in this being a perfect game. All in all, this game is pure perfection. It is great to see all the press it’s getting and it has become one of the best Xbox Live Arcade games of all time. The difficulty may turn some gamers off and Team Meat says they won’t pay for a new TV if you get frustrated and throw you controller through the screen. They will however Retweet pictures if you send them. I can easily say this is the best and most fun XBLA title I have purchased, ever. You owe it to yourself to spend the introductory $10 (Going up to $15 sometime in November) and pick this game up. What are you waiting for? Bandage Girl needs saving. GET TO IT!! Click here to view the article

Last week, Sony detailed their "Welcome Back" package to PSN users who had their personal information stolen during the PSN attacks. While thus far this has included free PSN Plus and free downloads, they have upped the ante with a free year subscription to Debix, Inc's AllClear ID Plus identity theft protection. Providing up to $1 million dollars in protection, this may help give some a piece of mind that even though their information was stolen, Sony is at least trying to ensure nefarious actions don't take place with your information. The latest Sony blog gives these details of the program: Cyber monitoring and surveillance of the Internet to detect exposure of an AllClear ID Plus customer’s personal information, including monitoring of criminal web sites and data recovered by law enforcement. If his/her personal information is found, the customer will be alerted by phone and/or email and will be provided advice and support regarding protective steps to take. The customer will also receive monthly identity status reports. Debix works with an alliance of cyber-crime experts from the government, academia and industry to provide these services. Priority access to licensed private investigators and identity restoration specialists. If an AllClear ID Plus customer receives an alert, or otherwise suspects that he/she may be the victim of identity theft, the customer can speak directly, on a priority basis, with an on-staff licensed private investigator, who will conduct a comprehensive inquiry. In the case of an identity theft, the customer can work with an identity restoration specialist to contact creditors and others, and take necessary steps to restore the customer’s identity. A $1 million identity theft insurance policy per user to provide additional protection in the event that an AllClear ID Plus customer becomes a victim of identity theft. This insurance would provide financial relief of up to $1 million for covered identity restoration costs, legal defense expenses, and lost wages that occur within 12 months after the stolen identity event. To get the full post, head over to Sony's blog here: http://blog.us.playstation.com Click here to view the article

Telltale Games’ Jurassic Park: The Game is stomping toward its anticipated November 15, 2011 release date with the speed of a hungry T-Rex pursuing a herd of tasty Gallimimus. Telltale has partnered with GameStop and GameStop.com on an exclusive pre-order for the Xbox 360 version of the game. Anyone who pre-orders between now and the November 15 launch date will receive a codeat the time of purchase (online customers will receive their code via email within 2 days of their game shipping) to unlock an official Jurassic Park T-Rex avatar pet on Xbox LIVE! It’s a dino-mite incentive as the Jurassic Park T-Rex avatar pet is authentically modeled on the design used in the Jurassic Park movie, delighting the most ardent Jurassic Park fan. You can distract your Tyrannosaurus Rex with a flare just like Dr. Alan Grant or watch her roar and stomp as she inspires awe & terror with her pint sized ferocity! So “hold on to your butts” and head over to GameStop now to secure your Jurassic Park: The Game pre-order and adopt the fiercest avatar pet ever to be resurrected from ancient extinction. The Tyrannosaurus Rex avatar pet - created by meemo, leading developers of virtual goods - will be available to buy on Xbox LIVE, along with a whole range of other amazing officially-licensed Jurassic Park creatures and virtual items from November 15th. Click here to view the article

We are giving away a sweet Halo Legends poster from ComiCon, take a look: All you have to do is head over to our forums, sign up, and make a post in this thread: http://www.gamercide.org/forum/index.php?/topic/292-halo-legends-poster/#entry4369 Pretty simple right? A winner will be randomly chosen once the contest closes on May 1st. So what are you waiting for? Head over and sign up! Click here to view the article

Ladies and gentlemen, with the opening of the new forums here at Gamercide, some of our AMAZING members have contests for you to enter! Take a look at the links below and get in on the action: Bogey's Up & Running Points Giveaway Here's your chance to win 1600 MS Points! Just head here and sign up! . . Dateranoth's FRAPS ContestWin a full license for the latest release of this amazing PC software. Just add the link to your 30 second clip created using the free version (Found here) to the thread and Dateranoth will determine the winner. It's really that simple to enter. Read more about it here. Dateranoth's Borderlands (PC) GiveawayHere is your chance to win a Steam copy of Borderlands on the PC! That's right, Dateranoth is back again and this time he's giving away a copy of Borderlands. Head over here to put your name in the hat! . Final Fantasy Avatar Outfits and Gears of War 2 All Fronts Map Pack Giveaway by Nexus Enter to win one of two female Final Fantasy XIII Avatar outfits or the All Fronts Map Pack for Gears of War 2. Our member Nexus is offering these up for us. Just sign up and make a post here.. Dateranoth's Duke Nukem (PC) GiveawayDateranoth is at it again! This one was just added a bit ago. Enter to win one of 3 copies of Duke Nukem 3D on the PC. Go here and post your favorite Duke quote for a chance to win. . . You will need to sign-up for our forums to win, so what are you waiting for!!! Click here to view the article

Gabbin’ with Gamercide An interview with Chris Geehan & Dan Byrne-McCullough – Hyperduck Music Studios About a year ago we did an interview with the guys from Hyperduck Music Studios. In our first follow up, we see what the guys have been up to, what’s new, and dig for some big announcements. That said, let’s get started and see what we can find out. Q – Alright guys, for the uninitiated, give us a quick introduction to who HyperDuck Studios is and how you guys got started. (Don’t worry; I’ll add the shameless plug for you.) Chris: Sure thing Shawn. Hello! We are HyperDuck Music Studios! We're a two duck/man team that composes records and produces music and sound effects for computer games and their soundtracks. We are Chris Geehan & Dan Byrne-McCullough, both from Ireland, and we're just finishing up our BMus Honours Degree in Music in England at the moment! On how we got started, well it was due to a game called Iji, which I had been asked by Dan Remar to do him a favour and make the music behind it. I never thought much of it until we actually had to do it, and that's when the gloves came out. We grabbed a copy of Cubase SX and Dan & I worked at it from our student house in 2007/2008. Iji got an amazing response, being credited as one of the best freeware games of all time, at least this was a strong opinion in the 'game maker' software community; game maker being a program that is primarily used for making waffles, but can also make games. Anyway, that settled it for us, we thought that if we could get that reaction to a game we made music for, without much knowledge of how to make it sound great, how big a reaction could we get if we learnt how to make it sound, well.. amazing. We'll keep trying to get to 'amazing' but the support from that fans of Iji since has pretty much driven us up to this point, were we're working on two Microsoft Dream Build Play titles, so it's all stations go at the moment! Q – Since we last talked back in September ‘09, what have you guys been working on? Dan: We've been finishing up the music and sound effects for A.R.E.S (formerly Trashman), produced by extend studios (http://blog.x10studio.com/) which has just recently been entered for and won First Prize at Microsoft's Dream Build Play 2010 competition. We've also been heavily at work on Dust: An Elysian Tail, which is proving to be really interesting; we're really excited to see the final release. Other work has included looking for future projects - we have just completed our degrees this week, and so are likely to be putting a lot more into our music making from now on! Q - First Dust and now A.R.E.S. I think I can speak on behalf of everyone at Gamercide when I say congratulations on your SECOND win in the Dream.Build.Play competition. How does it feel to have a game you guys worked on, win 2 years in a row? Dan: Thanks, and it feels great! We are really very lucky to be working with these immensely talented people. For our music to be a part of these creations is a real boost for us. We're really excited at the prospect of these titles being released to the public - it'll be a real milestone for us I think, especially in terms of exposure. With any luck we may end up on future dbp projects, but the main focus at the moment is getting all the material for Dust finished. Q - Any update on when we can expect releases for Dust or A.R.E.S? Not just the XBLA versions, but PC versions as well. Chris: A.r.e.s. is going into testing phases soon for the PC release, I think it might be being released on Steam, I can't confirm that though. It'll be through a digital distributor anyway. The XBLA version I am estimating a 2011 release or a late 2010 release, but more likely the preceding date. The x10 team are working their brains out to get the PC version finished and ready for testing, then will work out all the kinks, if any, and you should see it coming to your PC this summer. Dust is finally back on our plates after the University exams, so we're getting stuck into that with full force, since Dean has been so understanding and patient while we complete University, and helpful along the way is really an under-statement for this guy. He is a gem. We will be working again with Dean as of next week and any updates on Dust will be coming from the man himself, so you know as much as we do at the moment. We're quite eager to have a sneak peek at all the tweaking and work he's been doing, if you follow him on twitter (@noogytweet) you can see what he is up to in Dust now and then, needless to say he's all about getting it out as soon he can, but not at the risk of ANY quality loss. So essentially, it will be very much worth the wait. Q - Is there any possibility of maybe a PS3 or Wii release for anything you're currently working on? Chris: We're not currently on any projects that will see the PS3 just yet. We are in talks with a few game developers who are working on projects for the PSN, but would love to be involved on a Wii game project, something with the sparkly attitude of Super Mario Galaxy, but really anything. We're pretty happy to be working with developers who are passionate about their craft as much as we are, that's not just what gets the job done, but it's what gets the job done well. Most of the projects we're on at the moment are on the PC, however by the end of the year, there should be a few more XBOX360 titles to show, or at least one. I can't say more about it yet, since I am not certain yet, but yes, we'll keep you posted on that. Q - When you decide to work on a game, is there a specific process you go through to determine the feel of the music for it or do the developers give you some ideas to work with initially? Dan: It varies from project to project. The developer may have a really specific idea for what they want, for instance, Dean Dodrill is a keen collector of video game music, and so was able to send us loads of reference material. We can then analyze these pieces and produce a totally new compositional idea, while incorporating more of our personal style into it. Sometimes we have game images to work from, which is really useful as you get a feel for the style of the game, and the colouring etc. If there is a particular storyline then that may dictate the pace and style of the piece. Personally, if I have little reference material I usually brainstorm ideas about what might be appropriate, and try to figure out the instruments that convey the right sound for the piece. Also Chris and myself are constantly bouncing ideas off each other, which is one of the big features of our music – It’s a collective thing, and we're able to get more ideas made that way. Q – I’ve been following the development blog of Monolith since you announced you would be doing the music for it back in late February. Are there any developments or progress on that project that you can share with us right now? Chris: I know that Timbo Jay, the animator and artist behind Monolith, just came back from being MIA for two months there last week. He has been very busy with other stuff, but his focus is solely to getting back on the Monolith train. We sat and discussed what direction Zach and Timbo felt Monolith could benefit from going in, musically, and in general I guess. It was a productive chat over quite a period of time, which helped build up a better image of what they want the game to be, and what they want it to sound like. Zach has a great business mind, and I felt I didn't need to hold back anything on that end when talking to him. Timbo Jay is an incredible piece of work, and his artwork and animating brought me to the idea in the first place, he's also a really nice guy, they're both just brilliant. It's been on hold with us until we finish Uni but come May 18th, the ball will begin rolling again, and within this ball, two ducks shall be waddling. Oh yes. So expect Monolith stuff over the summer I would say. Expect a lot of interesting stuff over the summer! Q – I literally listen to your Demo Reel and YouTube pages all day long at my day job, any updates we can look forward to on those pages? Chris: So nice to hear that really makes us feel good about what we do even more. Well actually we just started uploading OSTs to Dropbox.com so you can get the Zero Gear OST from this link (Zero Gear OST). We plan on putting a lot more up later this year and since Katakijin should be released soon (finally!) we will definitely put that up as well. Expect progressive synth ninja iji-esqeu epic music. If you don't use DropBox.com that's ok, but if you want to sign up to it, it's free and quite cool, essentially free space to share stuff you like online. And if you use this link to join https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTQ1NjA5MDQ5 then HyperDuck Music Studios get more space, more space means more soundtracks in the future. You know it's right. Aside from the DropBox.com stuff, I would also expect the A.R.E.S OST soon. we just finished mixing and mastering it recently, and I really think it's the best sounding OST we've done to date, in that style. Zero Gear I thought sounded great, but was not a big a challenge as A.R.E.S in terms of making the guitars mix with everything else. Though Zero Gear helped a lot. After that, A.R.E.S was not as daunting, even with the 80+ odd sound effects we had to make. We actually used a friend Kevin Carville (at hotmail dot com) to help make the sound effects. He's a long time friend of mine, and Dans, but I've known him since we were 5, so that's 19 years. He's a solid composer and a good sound designer. I'd recommend him for any game project. Keep an eye out for Frantic Panda Studio Works; no doubt I will rant about him on the hyperduck.co.uk newsfeed very soon. In fact I am working with him on the Mon & Bot OST, so expect that later this year. We start working on it at the end of May, or continue working on it. We have a lot of material for it already in the pipeline. Q – Over the last while a TON of Triple-A titles have been released, what are you currently playing or looking forward to playing? Chris: Company of Heroes. Dan & I, and Kev, cannot stop playing it. Over and over. I'm getting sick of it to be honest. Dan’s internet connection is crappy over in England so we can't enjoy FPSers together like MW2 and Bad Company 2. Aside from Company of Heroes, I guess I've been dipping into Supreme Commander 2 & L4D2 now and again as well, I am really quite skint I cannot buy new games, otherwise I would. I have ME2 on the shelf and Dan bought me Bayonetta for my birthday in Jan, I just asked him to hold it off until the exams are done so I can enjoy it. We're both excited about KOTOR, but that's not until Christmas, so I don't know what I will play to hold me off until then. Hopefully Mass Effect 2 shall do the trick? Played a bit of it and thought "oh my god, I love this" so I stopped playing and decided not to touch it until after my exams. I know how to spot an 'exam failer' when I see one. This is an exam failer for me; it'll suck my attention span dry. So damn good. Dan: I've spent some time checking out other indie games; recently we each bought the Humble Indie Bundle, which was a really cool idea full of great games to pass the time! Other indie games like Altitude and Bob Came in Pieces are lots of fun for casual gaming. Like Chris mentioned, we didn't want to sacrifice our results to gaming addictions just yet, but there are plenty of good looking games on the horizon. I'd like to play Final Fantasy XIII and Red Dead Redemption sometime soon, they look great. Q – If you could work with any of the current game designers in the industry, who would it be? Dan: Anyone who is making good games will do for me, there are loads of really talented groups producing video games right now, the folks at Media Molecule seem to have made something really cool in Little Big Planet - something I would love to spend some time playing. Every game has different challenges somewhere down the line so whatever keeps us on our toes and creating music is good to me. Chris: Seconded. I'd also like the opportunity to work with a company that would look for music with the orchestrated calibre and unique quirkiness that came with the Super Mario Galaxy OSTs. Really brilliant tracks all the way through those games. I can't pick a bad one out of them, honestly. Amazing. And of course awesome games. Q – Any progress on the “mango feeding” or “ninja monkey astronaut” dreams? (Please see the first interview for more info on these dreams J) Still have a little over 9 years to go, so no real rush I suppose. Chris: Those dreams have mutated into other things now, as long as we're involved in music I can't see the mangos, cigars, and astronaut suits roll in at some stage. Probably shortly after our funerals. Timing pfft. Q – Last one, give us a bad duck joke . . . Chris: There's no such thing, as a bad duck joke. You know this. Dan: *Quacks* I want to say a HUGE thank you to Chris and Dan for taking time out of their unbelievably busy schedules to do this follow-up with us. If you want to know more about them head over to their website at: http://www.hyperduck.co.uk/ and be sure to check out their Youtube page at: http://www.youtube.com/user/HyperDuckMusic The guys have also given us an awesome sneak preview of the soundtrack for A.R.E.S. Take a listen below and let them know how awesome it is in the comments and in the forum. [audio:http://www.gamercide.org/audio/ares-teaserreel.mp3|titles=A.R.E.S. Teaser Reel] Click here to view the article