BioGamer Girl

Enter the Facility in Newest Hawken Update

2013-05-19T15:00:00.000-05:00

Developer Meteor Entertainment and publisher Adhesive Games have announced the arrival of the all new Facility update for their popular, free-to-play title Hawken. The update comes packed with new items and, more importantly, a new map named Facility. This map takes players to a bright and dusty resource extraction facility located deep within the Illalian desert. The map is well balanced with great vantage points as well as many narrow corridors for more intense gun fights. The map is available to play in Team Deathmatch, Missile Assault and Deathmatch making it a well rounded choice for most any type of game. Fans can learn more about Facility and the new update by checking out the new trailer for the game below or by playing Hawken for free today!

Hawken is now available free-to-play exclusively on PC. Hawken is rated T by the ESRB for Violence. For more information on the game, check out the official Hawken website.

See the First Intense Gameplay Trailer for Alien Rage Today

2013-05-19T13:30:00.000-05:00

The first gameplay trailer has arrived for developer CI Games' Alien Rage. The upcoming sci-fi shooter will arrive this Fall for PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade and PC, and if the game's trailer is any indication, this will be an exciting new title to say the least. Players will head to a remote planetary mining facility where hordes of terrifying enemies are waiting to rip apart anyone who dares to cross their path. A demo will be available for Alien Rage at E3 this year to allow fans to get their hands on the game for the first time ever at the biggest gaming convention of the year. Make sure to check out this new trailer below and look for the arrival of Alien Rage later this year on your console of choice!

Alien Rage is scheduled to release for PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade and PC in Fall 2013. Alien Rage is not yet rated. For more information on the game, check out the official Alien Rage Facebook page.

New Screenshots Emerge for Wargame AirLand Battle's Dynamic Campaign

2013-05-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

Developer Eugen Systems and publisher Focus Home Interactive have announced their new title Wargame AirLand Battle will be arriving exclusively for PC on May 30, 2013. To get fans pumped for the impending release, new screenshots for the game have been revealed featuring images of the game's dynamic single player campaign. The exciting, real-time strategy title will challenge players to fight for control of Europe from deadly invaders whether by land, sea or air. The game features many different units and special attacks that will need to be carefully managed and deployed in such a way to turn the tide of war in the player's favor.

In addition, the team behind the game have revealed a special new video that takes a look at the deck system that will be featured in Wargame AirLand Battle, which can be seen below to learn how this unique mechanic will work in-game. Check out all of this great new content, as you get ready for the release of Wargame AirLand Battle at the end of the month!

Wargame AirLand Battle is scheduled to release exclusively for PC on May 30, 2013. Wargame AirLand Battle is not yet rated. For more information on the game, check out the official Wargame AirLand Battle website.

Nintendo and SEGA Team Up for New Sonic the Hedgehog Exclusives for Wii U and 3DS

2013-05-19T01:04:00.000-05:00

Nintendo's Global President Satoru Iwata has announced a new partnership with SEGA that will see the company's Wii U and 3DS receive three exclusive new titles in the coming years. The first title announced will be coming to Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo 3DS called Sonic Lost World. Few details were given on the upcoming action platformer, but Nintendo promised a larger reveal at E3 next month. The second game titled Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games will be coming to Wii U and promises to utilize both the console's gamepad and Wii Remote Plus controller to create some unique events inspired by the upcoming Winter Olympics without the restrictions of real life physics. The third Sonic title has yet to be announced, but Nintendo also dropped some other major news at the press conference including the arrival of classic Game Gear games on Nintendo 3DS eShop, the newly playable characters Alph, Brittany and Charlie in the upcoming Wii U release Pikmin 3, upcoming DLC for New Super Mario Bros. U starring the green man and named New Super Luigi U and much more. For more information, you can check out the entire Nintendo Direct press conference in the video below featuring Mr. Iwata himself!

For additional details on these games and more, check out the official Nintendo website.

Little Amazon Runs onto the Android Marketplace

2013-05-19T01:02:00.000-05:00

BulkyPix has announced the arrival of their hit mobile game Little Amazon for Android devices after its highly successful run on iOS devices. The game places players in the role of a tiny Amazon named Lily Grûûl's hold. Lily will run her way through the game while utilizing special abilities such as "Attack of the Clones" and "Meteor Rain" to devastate the minions threatening the kingdom, and there are plenty of other skills to unlock through hours of gameplay included in this packed release. The game's colorful graphics and fun soundtrack are sure to put a smile on your face, so download your copy of Little Amazon on Android or iOS today!

Little Amazon is now available for download on iOS and Android and can be purchased for $1.99. Little Amazon has been rated appropriate for ages 4+. For more information or to purchase Little Amazon, check out the official BulkyPix website.

New Video Rockthrough Teaches Players how to Survive the Ride to Hell: Route 666

2013-05-19T01:00:00.000-05:00

Developer Black Forest Games and publisher Deep Silver have released a new video walkthrough for their upcoming game Ride to Hell: Route 666. The gameplay rockthrough teaches players how to survive the harsh, open roads featured in the game and to take down the rival gangs that want to keep the highway for themselves. The game stars biker Jack Conway whose passions in life are women, guns and bikes and not necessarily in that order. Different genres are well represented in the game with role playing elements that have you strategically outfitting Jack and his henchmen as well as other strategic formations to get get the most out of your gang's abilities. You can learn more about this exciting new game in the video below and look for Ride to Hell: Route 666 to arrive this Summer!

Ride to Hell: Route 666 is scheduled to release for PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade and PC via Steam in Summer 2013. Ride to Hell: Route 666 is rated T by the ESRB for Blood, Language & Violence. For more information on the game, check out the official Ride to Hell: Route 666 website.

The Sims 3 Producer Talks Island Paradise Expansion

2013-05-19T00:58:00.000-05:00

EA is getting ready for the release of one of the final expansions for their hit game The Sims 3 with the announcement of The Sims 4 coming to PC in 2014. The Sims 3: Island Paradise will allow players to live their own tropical vacation in The Sims world by creating and customizing their own houseboat, go deep sea diving for sunken treasure, enjoy some leisure beach activities and more. The Sims 3 Assistant Producer Graham Nardone recently spoke about the upcoming expansion in a new video that can be seen below. Nardone explains many different features included in The Sims 3: Island Paradise that are sure to excite fans in addition to the ones mentioned above including managing island resorts and exploring other uncharted islands in the nearby waters; hopefully, you won't run into any smoke monsters on these mysterious islands!

Fans will also be happy to learn preorders for the game are now available with automatic upgrades to The Sims 3: Island Paradise Limited Edition just for reserving the game. The add-on comes packed with plenty of items that are sure to come in handy for Sims trying to survive on a deserted island. EA also announced players who preorder the game on Origin.com will gain access to the Carnival Costumes Pack full of festive new costumes perfect for wearing to an island party! Check out the new video below to learn more about The Sims 3: Island Paradise.

The Sims 3: Island Paradise is scheduled to release exclusively for PC on June 25, 2013. The Sims 3: Island Paradise is rated T by the ESRB for Crude Humor, Sexual Themes & Violence. For more information on the game, check out the official The Sims 3: Island Paradise website.

Machines at War 3 Gets New Updates and 65% Off Price Slash Until May 23rd

2013-05-17T15:24:00.000-05:00

Machines at War 3 is now available and players can now jump into the battle and outsmart their enemy forces at over 65% off until May 23rd. Gamers will enter action-packed environments with over 21 intriguing campaign missions on their PC and Mac. If you love a good tower defense game were you can command gigantic mega units then check out Machines at War 3 today!

The update contains over 50 changes, including new features and bug fixes.

New unit index layout (categorized and alphabetized).
New right click mouse control option.
New bookmarks to quickly view any location on the map.
New MOUSE3 scroll option.
New unit targeting algorithm.
New voice notifications for game events.
New campaign briefing screen and graphics.
New notification feature when other players are looking for online games.

Game play elements:
base building, tower defense, navigate stealth subs, command gigantic mega units, research technologies.

Features:

Build over 130 types of units and technologies
Rescue the Omicron Initiative in 21 missions
Command massive 5,000 unit battles
Play unlimited random map skirmishes
Conquer four friends in online multiplayer combat
Dominate with seven awesome mega units

isotope244.com

Focus Home Interactive Announces Pro Cycling Manager and Tour de France 2013 Coming Soon

2013-05-17T00:48:00.000-05:00

Developer Cyanide Studio and publisher Focus Home Interactive have announced the upcoming releases of Pro Cycling Manager for PC and Tour de France 2013 for consoles. The two new games are sure to be a thrill for cycling fans when they release later this year. In Pro Cycling Manager, players take on the role of sports director for a professional cycling team to take care of players, contracts, equipment, finances, sponsorships, training sessions and more just as a real life manager would do. Tour de France 2013 looks at the sport from the other side and allows players to compete as a professional cyclist during the Tour de France to become a cycling legend. New screenshots and an informative website has been released for the two games by the team behind the releases, and you can learn more about Pro Cycling Manager and Tour de France 2013 by checking out the new screenshots for the games below!

Pro Cycling Manager is coming soon to PC, and Tour de France 2013 is also scheduled to release soon for PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE Arcade. Pro Cycling Manager and Tour de France 2013 are not yet rated. For more information on the games, check out the official Cycling Manager website.

Action RPG Lords of the Fallen Coming to PC in 2014

2013-05-17T00:44:00.000-05:00

Developer CI Games have announced their next title called Lords of the Fallen that is scheduled to arrive for PC in 2014. The upcoming third-person, action RPG will take players to a fantasy world where the gods have fallen and humanity's last hope lies in the hands of a man named Harkyn as he battles against the dark force that is quickly overtaking the land. The world is split with those that would fight for the Fallen God and those who dare to oppose him, and players will be faced with many difficult decision along the way that will alter the game's storyline and force the player to make difficult moral choices many times throughout the game. The new project is being developed in cooperation with Tomasz Gop, who recently worked on the award-winning role playing PC title The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Fans can read on to learn more and look for the arrival of Lords of the Fallen sometime next year.

“Our team is building Lords of the Fallen specifically for players who enjoy taking on huge challenges, where the odds are stacked against them,” said Tomasz Gop, executive producer, CI Games. “From the very beginning, Lords of the Fallen will intrigue and satisfy players’ hunger to explore each corner of a brand new world, freely customize and build their own character and take down some of the most epic enemies ever seen.”

Lords of the Fallen is scheduled to release exclusively for PC in 2014. Lords of the Fallen is not yet rated. For more information on the game, check out the official Lords of the Fallen website.

Thunder Wolves Makes Its Way To Steam for PC

2013-05-16T12:54:00.000-05:00

The Thunder Wolves have made their way onto Steam for PC for the low price of $14.99. The XBLA and PSN versions are to follow shortly.

Thunder Wolves is the work of the Hungarian development studio, Most Wanted Entertainment. There are missions that are so dangerous and secret that only the best and most daring helicopter pilots are up to the job; the kind of mission that calls for the Thunder Wolves. These daring helicopter pilots are ready for anything, and have the right arsenal for every job.

In the two-fisted arcade shooter Thunder Wolves, the player becomes part of this formidable group of pilots who carry out every order, no matter how dangerous, with unequalled precision and speed, no matter whether it requires protecting an oil platform, destroying a chemical factory, or stopping advancing enemies in their tracks. Their goal is nothing less than saving the world, and this requires staying a step ahead of the terrorists by finding out just what they are planning. Further information about Thunder Wolves is available at: http://www.mwent.hu/games/thunder-wolves or www.bitcomposer.com

KEY FEATURES

Arcade-style action with explosions galore and ridiculously destructible environments.
Nine helicopters with unique arsenals.
Carry out 13 missions, including stealth operations, escorts, and seek-and-destroy missions.
Enemies galore: from terrorist foot soldiers and land vehicles to enemy helicopters.
Challenging bosses with crushing firepower.
Three levels of difficulty: Casual, Normal, and Expert.
Local co-op. Fly into battle as a pilot/gunner duo.

Yet Another Bird Game Flys To The App Store

2013-05-16T12:47:00.002-05:00

SuperSike Games has announced that Yet Another Bird Game is now available at the App Store for iPhone and iPod Touch.

In YABG a mad scientist who hates birds has developed "Current-X" to rid birds from their natural habitat: Electrical wires. This action game of positioning includes 6 bird types, each with their own very distinct personalities and abilities and an endless high score mode that will put players' finger tapping to the test. Join Beanbag, Forkwing, Spartan, Scarecrow, Dr. Strangebird, and Ben in a wacky action game that takes place high above the ground on the power lines above a fair city. Screen management skills will be put to the test as each bird, with its own unique abilities and problems, has to avoid the deadly current-x! With a wacky story and strange characters Yet Another Bird Game will really worm its way into the heart of even the most hardened bird hating mad scientist. Yet Another Bird Game is now available for iPhone and iPod Touch with a full range of achievements and leaderboards. Get the game now at iTunes.

Metro: Last Light in Stores Now; Win a Copy from BioGamer Girl Today

2013-05-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

Developer 4A Games and developer Deep Silver announced the release of their newest title Metro: Last Light for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC, and we've got a brand new copy of the game to give away to one lucky reader. The new game takes players to a post-apocalyptic Moscow, where a great nuclear war has left the world uninhabitable on the surface and things are looking worse than ever before the in dark confines below the surface where a new war is about to break out for control of a newly discovered doomsday weapon. Metro: Last Light places an emphasis on survival with plenty of unique weapons created from the parts of other firearms and a dangerous world where human soldiers, hordes of mutants and the poisonous air of the surface are all trying to kill the player. You can win a copy of the new game for PC by emailing us at biogamergirlcontests@gmail.com where one winner will be chosen at random. Send in those emails today and check out our Metro: Last Light review to learn why this isn't a game first-person shooter fans should pass up!

Metro: Last Light is now available from all major retailers for the MSRP of $59.99 and can be purchased for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. Metro: Last Light is rated M by the ESRB for Blood, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language & Use of Drugs and Alcohol. For more information on the game, check out the official Metro: Last Light website.

Step Into The Hunter's Lair With The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing

2013-05-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

Indie developer NeocoreGames has revealed a brand new trailer for the Hunter’s Lair which highlights a secret hideout for the legendary vampire hunter to meetup with allies and accept new quests in The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing. Set to release on Windows PC on May 22, 2013, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing will be made available for $14.99 on Steam. he Hunter’s Lair will function as a central hub for players to stash collected loot, trade with non-playable characters, accept new quests from allies who join the resistance against the scientific scourge, teleport between locations, utilize the alchemy lab, and opens up the opportunity for a tower-defense mini-game when enemies attempt to raid the lair. Built by the father of the protagonist, the lair comes equipped with a power-generator that permits access to deployable traps and many other upgradable functions to defend hordes of despicable enemies that want to rid the world of Van Helsing. The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing is now available for pre-order on PC. To pre-purchase the game, head to devblog.neocoregames.com/order and choose an option to back this indie developer. As a bonus for all pre-purchases of The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, early adopters will receive instant access to the closed Beta.

Orc Attack: Flatulent Rebellion Heading To XBLA, PSN and PC

2013-05-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

Casual Brothers will release Orc Attack: Flatulent Rebellion onto gamers everywhere this summer for XBLA, PSN, and PC.

Overflowing with humor and flatulent rebellion, Orc Attack is a third-person cooperative hack ‘n slash for up to four players (local or online). Players can upgrade their orc character skills with experience points and fit them out with different weapons, shields, magic potions, and magic helmets, each one imbuing them with different nose-numbing, gaseous fart attacks to use in a wide variety of combat missions. Fart or die!

Features:

• Cooperative Combat and Dirty Mode rewards players for working together
• Gas free Magic Mode for players that like a little less flatulence in their game
• 30+ Enemy Types, Including Bosses
• Raid, Pillage and Plunder Human Camps, Collect Gold to buy improved weapons and armour
• Unlock the Great Orc Warriors to Add them to your Horde – discover them all
• Four player local and online multiplayer
• Four Campaigns comprised of 25 Epic Missions
• Reclaim the land for all of Orc-Kind
• XP leveling to upgrade different skills to perform a better combat

Exclusive: Jordan Gavaris Talks BBC America's Orphan Black, Clones and Much More

2013-05-16T01:00:00.001-05:00

BBC America's conspiracy clone thriller Orphan Black was recently renewed for a second season. We recently chatted with Jordan Gavaris about his character Felix, how he got involved on the show and much more. Read on to check out the full interview and catch an all new episode of Orphan Black on May 18th.

AMANDA DYAR: Tell us how your career in acting got started and how long have you been doing it?

JORDAN GAVARIS: I started acting in my senior year in high school. I was working at a local video store and at the time, was fascinated by counter-culture directors like Terrance Malick, Robert Altman, and Brian De Palma (even though, at 17, I didn't fully understand their work). I was convinced I was going to be a director. I wanted to learn more about an actor's process, so I enrolled in a local acting studio. There was a sense-memory exercise and scene-study component to the class, and while I couldn't make heads or tails of sense memory, the instructor approached me after I put up my first scene in front of the class; "Why are you here?" she asked. I told her I wanted to be a director and was already working on my first script. "No, no," she said. "You're not a director. You're an actor." Well, the woman was so sure of herself that I guess I believed her too. Six months later, I was standing in the middle of the Qu'Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan, shooting my first feature film.

AMANDA: How did you become involved with Orphan Black and what inspired you to audition for this particular role?

JORDAN: My agent sent me the material for Orphan Black; I had a conniption. I wanted it. I could taste it. I even started to daydream about the part. The audition process lasted nearly two months; there were multiple rounds of pre-reads, a session with John Fawcett, a test with the network executives, and finally, a chemistry-test with Tatiana Maslany.

AMANDA: What are some of the biggest challenges in becoming Felix and do you have any peculiar/funny/favorite moments from those experiences?

JORDAN: Felix is anything but bland, and I knew if I was given the opportunity to play him, I couldn't chicken out; I couldn't play it safe. Felix is a showman. It's even fair to say he's over the top, but he's not a cartoon; he's still a human being. When I was working through the audition material, I understood Felix's relationship with Sarah, and I got that the hair, make-up, clothing, and attitude are all part of an armored defense for him, but something was still missing. So I asked myself, “How does he walk across the room? How does he butter his toast? How does he load the dishwasher?”‘ (For the record, you can tell a lot about a person by the way they load a dishwasher). I decided to combine the physicality of a feline with some of the loose hip work of Mick Jagger. Unfortunately, I decided to practice in front of a bay window in my parent's house and didn't see that the pool company was there to remove the winter cover. I must've been quite a site, strutting around my kitchen and crawling on the furniture like a house cat. When I finally turned around, they were kind enough to pretend they hadn't caught the show.

AMANDA: How do you and Tatiana Maslany get along on set? Tatiana plays A LOT of characters on the show. Are there any of her characters in particular that you like or dislike?

JORDAN: Tat is an exceptional artist and an extraordinary human being. She was as gracious, warm, and hard-working from the day we met to the day we wrapped; the spiritualist in me likes to believe we were family in a past life. Pretending you've known somebody for twenty years when you only met last Tuesday can be challenging, but Tat made it easy- she was so open, and that made me feel like I could do the same. Needless to say, we got on from the start and have been great friends since. As for the other "Tatianas", that's easy: I'd kick it with Cosima anytime and would happily taste-test anything out of Alison's kitchen, but if I ever bumped into Helena, I'd probably run as fast as I could in the opposite direction, or at the very least, try and find some rebar.

AMANDA: The budget for Felix's wardrobe has to be huge. What do you think about all of his outfits and what does this add to the character?

JORDAN: The running joke on set was that Felix's make-up bag was so big and his wardrobe so extensive that, that's why we could only afford a ten episode season. Our costume designer, Laurie Drew, put a great deal of thought into Felix’s wardrobe. When I went in for my initial fitting, she had pages and pages of tear-sheets from European fashion magazines and old portraits of 70's glam-rockers. Part of the gag is that, like any good entertainer, Felix has an outfit for every occasion. This makes the rare moments when Felix is grounded and stripped down, more impactful. With any luck, the audience will see an evolution in the character as the season progresses and this is reflected in his wardrobe- it's slow-going, but it's there.

AMANDA: In regards to horror, what has been the scariest moment of the show?

JORDAN: I think so far the scariest moment was the Helena "reveal". She's a wild card; that volatility is exciting- it's also frightening. The first scene in episode four where a young boy comes down the stairs of his home and stumbles onto a bloodied Helena performing self-surgery in the bathroom. She has that haunting Cheshire grin and she quietly brings the kid into the bathroom and locks the door. My stomach dropped ten stories.

AMANDA: For those who haven't watched Orphan Black, what makes it a must-watch above all the other shows on TV right now?

JORDAN: Orphan Black is high-concept and fast paced and the story line is fully developed. John and Graeme had work-shopped their idea over, and over again, until they had their endgame. The writers know how the story ends and I think that sets us apart from a lot of other shows with big concepts. And if that's not enough, two words: Tatiana Maslany. 'nough said.

AMANDA: Do you enjoy scary movies/tv shows and if so what are some of your favorites?

JORDAN: I'm a horror nut! It all started with a neighbor's Halloween display when I was a kid- he loved monster movies, and each year he would rig his parents' house to look like something out of a Tom Savini flick (coincidentally, that neighbor was Geoff Scott, who is part of the special effects team on Orphan Black). "Carrie" ranks at the top of my list; both Brian De Palma and Sissy Spacek are major influences of mine. I also admire Dario Argento, and I think Suspiria is one of the most operatic and artistic horror films in history (opera and horror have a lot in common). As for the films that kept me up at night, "The Exorcist" is an easy choice, and probably the greatest horror-movie ever made. "Scream" was a precisely balanced, highly intelligent, slasher film, and that's no easy feat. "Child's Play" is, by far, one of the most inventive horror movie concepts, and the clever tongue-in-cheek sequels spawned by Don Mancini are some of my favorites. Honorable mentions go to: The Thing , Halloween , Ginger Snaps (Fawcett & Walton rule!!!), Black Christmas , High Tension, House of 1000 Corpses, and the supremely atmospheric, Audition.

AMANDA: If you could have a clone, would you? And why?

JORDAN: A clone? No way. I don't think I'd like me very much if I met me. In fact I've heard that nobody would like themselves if they met themselves- save for a narcissist.

AMANDA: What does the future hold for Felix and is there anything in particular that you hope happens with your character?

JORDAN: I've heard faint whispers from the writer's room about where Felix may be headed for season two, but nothing concrete, and I like that. Generally speaking, our characters know about as much as we do; which means that when Felix makes discoveries on screen, that's really just me amplifying whatever reaction I had to reading that section of the script a few days prior.

Now, I've never played anybody so clearly delineated from myself, and it was challenging at first. I so relished the scenes between Sarah and Felix where their sibling dynamic shines because that was a strong access point for me, and I made many a discovery about who Felix is in those scenes. That said, I'd like to explore his personal life more- I'd like to learn what a romance looks like to him, and if he's capable of being vulnerable with someone other than Sarah. I'd also like to know where he came from- what his roots are, if he has any. More than anything, I'm ready for whatever the writers throw my way; even a clone or two.

To learn more, visit the official Orphan Black website. Also, make sure to "Follow" Orphan Black on Twitter and "Like" the official Orphan Black fanpage.

About Orphan Black
Led by Tatiana Maslany, the cast includes Jordan Gavaris (Degrassi) as Felix, Sarah’s thorny foster brother and her one true confidante; Dylan Bruce (NCIS) as Paul, Beth’s boyfriend – a decent guy with chiseled features, but more complicated than he appears; Maria Doyle Kennedy (Downton Abbey) as Mrs. S, Sarah’s hard-nosed working class foster mother from across the pond; Michael Mando (The Killing) as Vic, Sarah’s volatile ex, aptly nicknamed “Vic the Dick”; Kevin Hanchard (Republic of Doyle) as Art, a veteran detective working alongside Beth who grows suspicious of her erratic behavior: and Skyler Wexler (Carrie) as Sarah’s seven-year-old daughter. The ten-part conspiracy thriller, produced by Temple Street Productions, is co-created by Graeme Manson (Flashpoint) and John Fawcett (Spartacus), with Manson also serving as writer and Fawcett as director.

Sarah hopes that cleaning out a dead woman’s bank account will solve all her problems. Instead, they multiply at an unnerving rate. Smart, sexy and pulsating with suspense – BBC AMERICA’s new original series, ORPHAN BLACK, features rising star Tatiana Maslany (The Vow, Picture Day). She portrays Sarah, an outsider and orphan whose life changes dramatically after witnessing the suicide of a woman, “Beth,” who looks just like her. Sarah takes her identity, her boyfriend and her money. But instead of solving her problems, the street-smart chameleon is thrust headlong into a kaleidoscopic mystery. She makes the dizzying discovery that she and the dead woman are clones… but are they the only ones? Sarah quickly finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly conspiracy, racing to find answers. ORPHAN BLACK airs Saturdays, 9:00pm ET/PT, as part of BBC AMERICA’s Supernatural Saturday.

All images copyright of BBC America.

Exclusive: Neal Edelstein Discusses Haunting Melissa, Why He Started Hooked Digital Media and the Future of Entertainment

2013-05-16T01:00:00.000-05:00

Hooked Digital Media is set to release their first project Haunting Melissa on their new platform. We recently chatted with founder Neil Edelstein (known for his work on The Ring, The Ring Two and Mulholland Drive) about the company's current projects and what lies ahead.

AMANDA DYAR: Tell us why you started Hooked Digital Media and how you became involved with Kevin Washington and Myspace co-founder Aber Whitcomb on the project?

NEAL EDELSTEIN: Hooked Digital Media was started to tell filmed stories in a different way and disrupt traditional film and television distribution by sending filmed content direct to mobile and tablet devices. When I first turned on an iPad, I knew that storytelling would never be the same. These powerful devices and software gave me a closed network, from storefront to direct distribution to my audience. I wanted to tell a ghost story and wanted to push it to my audience in an unpredictable way; you never know what comes next and the length of that story piece. For instance, Friday at 9 pm could be 20 minutes, then Monday at 3 pm could be 3 minutes - unpredictable and surprising. Haunting Melissa is not a movie inside an app. The story and structure we conceived from inception leverages iOS technology and iOS devices. I wanted to reconceive how stories are told.

Kevin Washington is a friend who is always looking for unique opportunities and the concept behind Hooked and Haunting Melissa sparked his interest and involvement. Aber Whitcomb is also a friend, and acts as an advisor. He’s got incredible technology experience.

AMANDA: How is Hooked Digital Media different than anything else out there right now?

NEAL: Hooked Digital Media is different because it marries Hollywood film- making expertise with new technology to create stories that reinvent delivery and structure. We’re able to deliver stories and change structure in ways that have never been done. We will continue to stay on the edge of technology and work with some of the best creatives in Hollywood from story to delivery. Haunting Melissa is the first app of its kind.

AMANDA: What can you tell us about the ghost story Haunting Melissa and how is it going to reinvent horror on mobile and tablet devices?

NEAL: "Something really creepy is happening in this house."

No one knows why Melissa vanished. She warned her friends that some ghostly presence had awakened in the isolated farmhouse where she lived... something that whispered to her from the locked room where her mother went mad and died. Now she's gone... and no one knows what unearthly horror had risen from the past and was... Haunting Melissa.

Little by little, all will be revealed.

You've never seen anything like this, because there's never been a haunting quite like this. The first-of-its-kind Haunting Melissa is a terrifying tale with twists and frights that you won't soon forget. Delivered piece by piece when you least expect it -- and want it most -- Haunting Melissa will scare you into discovering the truth.

The personal journey of Melissa and her haunting is delivered to personal devices. Ghost stories have to work first and foremost as dramas, and being able to tell this intimate story directly to devices enhances the experience. I also have the ability to control when you get content. The story was created with devices in mind, sound, picture all tailored to be enhanced for mobile and tablet. In post-production, we created the first LUT for iPad and iPhone screens. We have story elements that change upon second viewing called Dynamic Storytelling Elements; if you go back and watch again things might not be the same. I don’t want to give away too much away, but there’s more to explore then meets the eye on first viewing. I also think it’s important to remember that the theatre of the mind is as powerful as the consumption of content, and our unique delivery and schedule will leave viewers anticipating what comes next.

AMANDA: You are an independent filmmaker and producer of The Ring, The Ring Two and Mulholland Drive. What challenges did you face with bringing these filmed stories (such as Haunting Melissa) to mobile and tablet devices and how does it differ from film work you have done in the past?

NEAL: I encountered massive challenges as is the case with any low budget production. But even more so because of the new distribution and creative ideas that have never been done. The biggest challenge is always finding a great story. After that, it was technical challenges of film post-production being married with iOS development. Endless testing of sound, encodes and devices. I was faced with the reality of download speeds and server configuration to deliver media. File size vs. picture quality, a never ending battle to find that perfect balance. I was at the mercy of a range of delivery pipes from high speed Internet to cellular networks. My team was able to maximize delivery and not sacrifice picture, and much of this goes to the power and beauty of the Apple devices. Think about finishing a feature. You have to monitor quality control of a “print” but you know the image is getting on the screen. Likewise delivering an app takes extreme QC diligence; that’s why we chose progressive downloading so viewers can begin watching Haunting Melissa upon download. But once you are untethered from a connection and the content is fully downloaded you can view the story.

AMANDA: Do you see mobile and tablet devices replacing theater entertainment and/or DVD purchases in the future since it offers fans the convenience to instantly stream films on their mobile devices from anywhere?

NEAL: I hope not, going to the movies and sitting in a dark room is a shared experience that is unique and inspiring. However, original content direct to an audience is a new form that is here to stay and has unique advantages over other mediums. Haunting Melissa is the first of its kind, it uses traditional tools and techniques but marries them with cutting-edge technology to change story structure and delivery. There is no doubt this medium is here to stay and it’s a beautiful thing. Creative people can now deliver direct to their audience unencumbered.

Does anyone buy DVD’s anymore? Ha, ha, I did recently having purchased like my 30th copy of le samourai cause I keep giving mine away.

AMANDA: What other projects are in the works for Hooked Digital Media and do you have anything else that you would like to mention?

NEAL: Hooked Digital Media is working with other writers and directors to begin to roll out a series of projects. We’ll continue to make great storytelling our priority and always be implementing cutting-edge technology to bring stories direct to connect audiences. We’ll also be introducing the Hooked Digital Media app later this year which will function in a variety of capacities as more of our projects are introduced.

AMANDA: Is there anything else you would like to mention?

NEAL: Haunting Melissa is a free app with the first chapter available immediately after downloading. After you watch chapter ,1 you can share to Facebook and chapter 2 is then free when it’s available. From there you can purchase a season pass at a discounted rate. You’ll get more content then a feature film at a lower price then a movie ticket. I strongly advise to always wear headphones, crank the volume up to high and make sure you turn on push notifications as prompted or in your iOS settings.

Thank you! Always free to discuss more, wish I could have shown you the trailers and app in person. Love your work!!

To learn more, visit the official Hooked Digital Media website.

Win a Copy of Sanctum 2 from BioGamer Girl

2013-05-15T23:31:00.000-05:00

Indie developer Coffee Stain Studios recently announced the release of Sanctum 2 for PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade and PC. The new title combines equal parts of the shooting and tower defense genre to create a unique unlike any other game with the exception of its predecessor. Players will secure funds to build up a maze of towers to protect the all important Core from being destroyed by alien invaders. BGG wants to give you a copy of the new game for PC in a new giveaway. For a chance to win Sanctum 2 on PC send an email to us at biogamergirlconstests@hotmail.com where two lucky winners will be picked at random. Good luck, and check out our Sanctum 2 review to learn more about this great new release!

Sanctum 2 is now available for PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade and PC and can be purchased for $14.99 or 1200 Microsoft Points. Sanctum 2 is rated T by the ESRB for Blood, Violence & Mild Language. For more information on the game, check out the official Sanctum 2 website.

Nintendo to Celebrate Release of Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D at L.A. Zoo

2013-05-15T23:27:00.001-05:00

Nintendo of America announced today the upcoming release of Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D coming exclusively to Nintendo 3DS on May 24, 2013. To celebrate the upcoming release, Nintendo and the Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens will be teaming up to bring fans a unique experience when the game releases on Memorial Day weekend. Fans who attend the zoo during the 4-day event from May 24-27 can pick up a $5 off coupon for the game at GameStop in addition to seeing the transformation of the gorilla exhibit into the "Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D at Campo Gorilla Reserve." The special event will include a show where a zoo staff member will feed the gorillas live from a Donkey Kong inspired, cardboard barrel and meeting a costumed Donkey Kong who will be on site to take pictures with fans. The new game release will bring all new features to the popular Nintendo Wii release now with 3D graphics. Read on for more details and check out the newest trailer for Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D below.

“Our gorillas have never had a visit from a celebrity of Donkey Kong’s stature,” said John R. Lewis, director of the Los Angeles Zoo. “All the planned activities for the weekend fit perfectly in line with the family-friendly environment of the zoo, as well as bring awareness to the animals in the gorilla reserve.”

“Fans will get a chance to spend time with Donkey Kong and some of his friends from the animal kingdom at the L.A. Zoo this Memorial Day weekend,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “They’ll be able to experience a fun day with Nintendo at the zoo and play Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D.”

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is now available for preorder from most major retailers for the MSRP of $34.99 and is scheduled to release exclusively for Nintendo 3DS on May 24, 2013. Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is rated E by the ESRB for Mild Cartoon Violence. For more information on the game, check out the official Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D website.

BioGamer Girl Now Accepting Applications for Summer Internships

2013-05-15T21:45:00.000-05:00

Are you looking to break into the video game industry? Do you want real journalism experience with a print magazine? Well look no further! BioGamer Girl Magazine is looking for several writers for unpaid internships. We are currently in need of daily news writers who can submit 5-7 news postings a day (5 days a week) for our website at www.biogamergirl.com. Also, we are looking for feature writers who can create 2-4 original and unique features per week, and video game reviewers that can review several video games a month (5 at minimum). We are especially interested in reviewers who can take on titles across several platforms such as PC, iOS, PlayStation, and Nintendo.

Writers must have some writing experience in order to apply. Please send resume, cover letter and writing samples to biogamergirl@live.com. We only take a handful of interns a year and they must follow strict guidelines. We are only seeking enthusiastic writers who are passionate about the video game industry. Writers must be consistent, hardworking and turn in work in a timely manner. We will work with writers around the world who can submit work through email as designated times each week. Upon completion of the internship, then writers have a chance to have their work appear in BioGamer Girl Magazine and receive tear sheets for their portfolio. Creating a powerful portfolio is very important for journalists looking to make it in the video game industry. We will also provide a letter of recommendation upon completion of the program.

This is a great opportunity for college students looking to gain valuable work experience without have to travel or even leave their dorm room or home. We want to work with you in making your writing dreams come true.

The internship program will start on May 20, 2013. Only SERIOUS and committed applicants need apply. All internship work will be for the online website at www.biogamergirl.com. Only the best applicants of the program will have the opportunity to have their work featured in a future issue of BioGamer Girl Magazine. You will be required to finish the 90 day internship in order to be eligible for print based work.

Website: www.biogamergirl.com
Contact: biogamergirl@live.com

Exclusive: James Blaylock Discusses His Book's Re-Releases, Zombies, Time Travel and Much More!

2013-05-15T20:24:00.000-05:00

Titan Books has re-released Homunculus and Lord Kelvin’s Machine alongside a limited edition of the The Aylesford Skull by James Blaylock. We recently chatted with the author about what fans can expect with the new re-releases as well as why horror fans should pick them up!

AMANDA DYAR: Before we begin, you are often credited with being one of the founders of modern Steampunk. Tell us how this all started for you and what were your initial goals when it happened?

JAMES BLAYLOCK: Steampunk didn’t become Steampunk until ten years after Tim Powers, K.W. Jeter, and I began writing our first stories and novels set in historic periods. K. W. was writing Morlock Night, which was published by Daw books, and I was writing “The Ape-box Affair,” which was published by Unearth magazine, and also a story titled “The Hole in Space,” which I sold to Starwind magazine, which unfortunately died before the story appeared. Tim was working on the novel that would become The Drawing of the Dark, which was followed by The Anubis Gates. The three of us had recently graduated from the university and had read more than our share of 18th and 19th century literature. All of us had grown up reading Verne, Wells, Stevenson, and Conan Doyle. We were naturally inclined to write science fiction and fantasy set in the past. By the late 1980s, when K.W. coined the term “Steampunk,” we had had collectively published a number of steam-driven novels and stories set in Victorian London, and other writers were writing their own. Bruce Sterling and William Gibson would publish The Difference Engine a couple of years later in 1990. So (to answer the question) we had no goals at all when we wrote our early Steampunk works aside from virtually every writer’s goal, which was to publish stories and novels. It was strange to discover that they had added up to a sub-genre of their own, and even stranger to watch the whole thing grow into what it is today.

AMANDA: Titan Books is set to release a special limited edition version of The Aylesford Skull. What all does the new special limited edition include and why should fans pick it up?

JAMES: I have to admit that I haven’t seen the thing yet, although I’ve seen pictures of its very cool cover and interior design, and I’ve read the introduction and afterword, written by Tim and K.W. To my mind, and in my heart, so to speak, it’s a bound memory of my earliest days as a publishing writer, when I had the time and inclination to spend long afternoons hanging around with Tim and K.W., plotting stories and talking about feral pigs in the London Sewers and whatever other vital things – another bowl of popcorn to go with this pitcher of beer – were going on in our lives in those days. But perhaps that reveals why I’m particularly anxious to hold the book in my hands.

AMANDA: How much research went into constructing The Aylesford Skull?

JAMES: A heap of research went into it. I read widely when I was developing the plot – books and articles on 19th century photography, coal dust explosions, Japanese magic mirrors, the history of various neighborhoods in London, farming in Kent, the Thames and Kentish marshes, and so forth. Once I started to write, I discovered that the research hadn’t come to an end. Alice St. Ives required some research when she decided to go fishing, what sort of fishing she would do, what the fishing tackle would consist of, etc. That lead to reading about taxidermy, poisons, hops growing, and a bunch of other things that I needed to understand simply to provide details for my characters’ day-to-day lives. It always turns out that a writer can use only a very small percentage of the stuff learned in research, which from the perspective of a reader adds up to odds and ends. It can take months to gather those odds and ends. Also, I made an effort to get the language of the story “right,” which meant, among other things, that I tried to avoid anachronisms and Americanisms and to use language that rang true for the era. So I found myself perpetually turning to a number of dictionaries both to find words and phrases to include and also to exclude. All of that slows the writing down – I was happy to write a thousand words a day – but it’s also immensely interesting. It’s too bad that my sieve-like mind refuses to retain most of what I learn.

AMANDA: Two of your steampunk novels, Homunculus and Lord Kelvin’s Machine, are also seeing a re-release. Tell us what your main inspirations were for these two novels.

JAMES: Inspirations are hard to pin down. I wrote some Steampunk short stories in the 1970s, but my first novel, The Elfin Ship, which I began writing in 1978, was inspired by what I was reading or rereading at the time, which included The Wind in the Willows, The Hobbit, Huckleberry Finn, Three Men in a Boat, and other atmospheric, often whimsical novels. After I wrote The Digging Leviathan in 1983, it came into my mind that I was ready to write a full-length Steampunk novel (I was very fond of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at the time, and also of Stevenson’s New Arabian Nights) and that I should write the novel that I might have written if I were working a hundred years in the past. Homunculus was the result. Shortly after that I wrote a novella titled “Lord Kelvin’s Machine,” which was published in Asimov’s. Several years (and several novels) later, it occurred to me to write a sequel to “Lord Kelvin’s Machine,” but far too many years had passed for Asimov’s to want to publish that sequel. It seemed to me then that the sequel still didn’t complete the story I had started years earlier, which led to my writing a third section and coming up with a novel length manuscript that provided my protagonist Langdon St. Ives with a wife and family, and also with the time machine that Dr. Narbondo (having transformed himself into Dr. Frosticos after being frozen solid and thawed back out) would need to travel to the future where he would have the opportunity to plague the characters in The Digging Leviathan and Zeuglodon. So Lord Kelvin’s Machine was the result of a number of inspirations separated sometimes by years.

AMANDA: Homunculus is packed full of classic steampunk imagery, but it also has creepy horror elements such as flying ships piloted by skeletons and evil villains. What else can you tell us that would drive the avid horror fan to go and pick up a copy of Homunculus?

JAMES: It has zombies in it, for one thing, many years before zombies would catch on. (I’m assuming that avid horror fans like a good zombie now and then.) Sections of the novel are quite dark – grave robberies, heads lopped off with pruning sheers, severed hands playing a piano, corpses brought back to life (not zombie corpses) etc. Also, I believe that horror fans will find it a very… different sort of book. If they do pick it up, I hope they enjoy it.

AMANDA: I am a huge fan of books and movies that involve time travel. For either to be entertaining to the reader, then the rules of time travel have to be made clear. How did you go about doing this in Lord Kelvin's Machine and how tricky was this type of book to write?

JAMES: I tend to prefer anything having rules, especially implausible things like time travel, so I drew the predictable time graph, paying attention to my characters’ comings and goings. Langdon St. Ives had to travel to the future as well as to the past, and I wanted him to meet himself somewhere along the line, both for the sake of humor and because I wanted to mess with the idea that one might not be particularly happy with oneself when meeting, so to speak, for the first time. I find it unsettling to see myself in a mirror unless I’m prepared for it; heaven help me if I actually ran into myself in the street. Also, there were troubles that St. Ives could solve via time travel, or just as easily worsen. I’m an immense fan of Tim Powers’s The Anubis Gates, which has a plot dependent on a time travel conundrum and which required more complicated plotting than I wanted to do. St. Ives’s time traveling was an efficient way to solve the problems of the plot and to have some fun. Even so, it was difficult to keep it all straight. I remember calling Tim now and then and saying something like, “Okay, St. Ives has to fly back to 1852, but he left his pocket watch in a pub in Limehouse in 1876 and he needs to retrieve it, but is anxious to avoid being seen by himself, who is outside on the pavement looking for his hat…” In other words, there would inevitably come points of confusion, and then I was happy to have expert advice.

AMANDA: What is your fondest memory during the time that you were writing these three books (The Aylesford Skull, Homunculus and Lord Kelvin's Machine)?

JAMES: This is a tough one. I wrote Lord Kelvin’s Machine nearly 30 years ago, and so most of my fondest memories have to do with what my sons were doing at the time and with friends that I knew back then who have passed away or who I rarely see any more. (Don’t mean to get maudlin here.) So I’m going to say that I was seriously happy when I realized that I very much wanted to write The Aylesford Skull nearly twenty years after I finished Lord Kelvin’s Machine – that writing more Steampunk was in fact fun. When the book was finished, it occurred to me that it had come out pretty well, which made me anxious to write more of the stuff. It’s nice to have been writing and publishing for 35 years, only to discover that I very much want to keep writing and publishing.

AMANDA: Your stories are often cleverly constructed within worlds pack full of fantasy elements. What draws you to this type of worlds in your writing?

JAMES: This is going to sound a little goofy, but it seems as if I’ve always believed that the world was a fairly fantastic place, not only because I’ve had some tolerably strange experiences in my life, but because I see a lot of color and magic in the everyday world. I’ve come to think that it’s difficult for me to keep fantasy elements out of my writing. I’m fairly sure that this accounts for me being attracted to the kinds of books I’ve always been attracted to, which no doubt helped to turn me into the writer I am today. There’s a book that I grew up with that had belonged to my mother, titled The Brownies and the Goblins, written and illustrated by N.M. Banta, in which a group of brownies and goblins go on a travel excursion to the moon in a wooden, open air omnibus thing. They fall in with the Man in the Moon, who is very nearly blind from watching the sun instead of watching the stars. Our heroes give him a pair of fairy spectacles, which fit him despite his enormous head, and he’s so overjoyed that he makes a solemn promise to visit Earth some day carrying a vast treasure that he’ll give away to poor people. He sends them off with pockets full of diamonds. It’s a good bet that I was genially infected by that story, and especially by the illustrations of flying machines, magic spectacles, and heaps of treasure on the moon. In other words, my attraction to the fantastic is a cosmic conspiracy abetted by my mother, who followed up The Brownies and the Goblins with books by Verne and Wells and Conan Doyle and Edgar Rice Burroughs. By the time I was fourteen-years-old, the die was cast.

AMANDA: Can you tell us about what other projects you have lined up next or currently working on?

JAMES: I recently finished a short Steampunk novel that will be published by Subterranean Press later this year. It’s titled The Adventure of the Ring of Stones. It’s a slightly… eccentric book. I’m working on a sequel to my novel Zeuglodon, and also on another Steampunk novel in the vein of The Aylesford Skull. I’ve got enough writing projects on my mind currently to keep me off the streets for the next five years.

AMANDA: What advice do you have to writers who are trying to get their first book published and trying to make it in the steampunk/fantasy/horror genre?

JAMES: I do have some advice. It’s really vital that writers write what they love to read, and in order to figure that out, writers need to have read widely. If they’re not reading fantasy, horror, or science fiction that was written 80 or 100 or 150 years ago, then they’re not reading widely. Another equally important thing is that hopeful writers write a lot. We all get better at what we do when we do more of it. Don’t wait for inspiration, that, as they say, is a fool’s game. I’m wildly happy to say that you’ll be a better writer at fifty than you are at 15 or 25 or 35 if you keep at it and avoid being hit by meteors. Finally, nobody should attempt to write Steampunk or any other variety of book unless they’ve read a lot of it, and not just currently published books, either, but the books that inspired Steampunk writers. I often read pieces by mixed up reviewers or in articles about Steampunk that insist that Verne and Wells were “Steampunks.” Verne and Wells were the literary giants on whose shoulders the rest of us Steampunk writers are endeavoring to stand upon. I want everyone to read as many of my books as they can get their hands on, but it’s more vital that they read books that were actually written during the age of steam. Doing so will increase the odds that a writer will write a book or a story that’s worth publishing, which brings me to my last bit of advice. Writing well enough to publish takes a long time. If you want it now, so to speak, you’re in for a massively frustrating time of it. Write because you love to write and are compelled to write. If that’s not enough, then I’ll guarantee you there are easier ways to make a living.

To learn more, visit the official Titan Books website.

Jagged Alliance Online Bringing New Features to Steam this Spring

2013-05-15T15:18:00.001-05:00

Developer Cliffhanger Productions in cooperation with Gamigo have announced their hit browser game Jagged Alliance Online will be coming to Steam later this Spring. The new release will add tons of new content to an already popular fantasy MOBA title. Players battle it out in Jagged Alliance Online in exciting player versus player matches with a heavy emphasis on deploying small, heavily armed army units. New features coming to the game include a free-to-play model that allows in-game purchases that won't affect the game's balance, an optional single player campaign, new characters, weapons and more. In total, Jagged Alliance Online will feature more than 40 playable mercenaries, over 500 weapons and items to strengthen characters, over 80 single player missions with over 50 enemies and boss battles, leaderboards to compare players' progress and much more. Read on to learn more about this exciting new announcement and look for the arrival of Jagged Alliance Online for Steam in Spring 2013!

“Jagged Alliance is all about superior tactics (and big guns, of course), so that means providing every player with a chance of winning based on tactical choices, and not any outside factors such as paid items,” says Cliffhanger Productions Founder and Creative Director, Jan Wagner, and continues, “The PvP part is also what makes us stand out from all the Jagged Alliance games, I believe, since no matter how good an AI is, in the end, the true challenge is another player. I am glad we could finally do the game the way we wanted.”

Jagged Alliance Online is scheduled to release exclusively for PC in Spring 2013. Jagged Alliance Online is not yet rated. For more information on the game, check out the official Jagged Alliance Online website.

New Gameplay Trailer For Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag Gets Up Close and Personal With Captain Edward Kenway

2013-05-15T14:18:00.001-05:00

Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag is set to release on October 29th for consoles and PC. Ubisoft has unveiled a new trailer that gives fans a closer look at Captain Edward Kenway, the fierce and deadly new Assassin in Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag.

Included with the trailer is an infographic riddled with facts about the Golden Age of Pirates in the 18th century. We’ve referenced multiple sources to provide a visual introduction to the period. You’ll learn about the events that made this Age of Piracy possible, get a taste of the living conditions that might make an honest sailor turn pirate, and uncover some of the key places, people and events that you will experience in Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag. Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag tells the story of Edward Kenway, who falls from privateering for the Royal Navy into piracy as the war between the major Empires comes to an end. Edward is a fierce pirate and seasoned fighter who soon finds himself embroiled in the ancient war between Assassins and Templars. Set at the dawn of the 18th Century, the game features some of the most infamous pirates in history, such as Blackbeard and Charles Vane, and takes players on a journey throughout the West Indies during a turbulent and violent period of time later to become known as the Golden Age of Pirates.

Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag will be released on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation 4 from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo’s Wii U system, Windows PC and other next generation consoles. The game will be available on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Nintendo’s Wii U system on October 29, 2013.

Anomaly 2 Out Now Via Steam For PC

2013-05-15T14:12:00.001-05:00

11 bit studios has announced the release of Anomaly 2 on Steam for PC.

The sequel to the award-winning Anomaly Warzone Earth, Anomaly 2 is the ultimate tower offense vs. tower defense experience for PC, Mac and Linux, and it's just $13.49 for the first week. Buying the game at Anomaly2Game.com also gets you Anomaly Korea, available for the first time ever on PC.

From Warsaw, Poland-based 11 bit studios, Anomaly 2 features an exciting single-player campaign that transports you to a bleak, frozen Earth, overrun by the alien anomalies. Humanity has been nearly wiped out, and you'll need to use all the tools at your disposal -- tactical planning, a wide range of units featuring brand new morph modes, the commander's support abilities and quick thinking -- to take back our planet from the alien scum. Anomaly 2 also introduces the unique tower offense vs. tower defense multiplayer mode, testing your wits and skill in intense one-on-one battles.

For more information, visit http://anomaly2game.com.

Sanctum 2 Now Available

2013-05-15T13:39:00.002-05:00

Coffee Stain Studios has revealed that Sanctum 2 is now available for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. Players who have been anxiously awaiting a sequel to the tower-defense, first-person shooter will not be disappointed with the new release. You can review our review here.
“We built Sanctum 2 from the ground up, creating stunning visuals while keeping everything that players loved from the original,” said Anton Westberg, CEO of Coffee Stain Studios. “We then added more characters, more enemies, more bosses, more levels, more weapons and more towers to make Sanctum 2 bigger, better and badder than we ever imagined.”

SANCTUM 2 KEY FEATURES:

Tower-Defense – Players can create custom mazes and utilize new towers to prevent the waves of attacking enemies from destroying the oxygen-producing Cores
First-Person Shooter – Don't just let the towers do everything, jump into the fray, either alone or as part of a squad in four-player co-op multiplayer
Skye, the original Sanctum defender returns along with three brand new playable characters, Haigen, Sweet, and SiMo– each with their own distinct abilities and enhanced weapons
Seamless integration of drop-in and drop-out four-player cooperative multiplayer
16 maps within four diverse worlds
Vast Customization and Progression Systems – Players can choose perks such as Adrenaline Rush or up-the-ante by adding ‘Feats of Strength’ such as Titan Slayer where enemies grow stronger and the player’s XP gain increases by 20 percent
Newly implemented enemy aggro system that makes for challenging and intense encounters
Extensive DLC content – Exciting levels and expansions coming soon with new challenges and surprises