Village Gamer

London ON – Big Blue Bubble Inc. is pleased to announce that their smash hit Home Sweet Home has arrived at Apple’s App Store! Home Sweet Home will give you the chance to unleash your hidden talents as an Interior Designer. You choose the furniture, patterns, and colors to create a masterpiece that will blow your client away.

Picture the scene. You move into a new house and you have visions of how you want every room, except for one. Sure, there are some items you know you need in that room but, other than that, it’s a blank canvas. Who do you call? How about the ‘Home Sweet Home’ team? Learn about your clients to ensure you are designing the perfect room for their tastes. Next, choose the furniture, choose the colors and patterns and place items around the room until the design is perfect. Then direct your build team of workers to assemble it all in front of your eyes! With simple controls, a fun graphical style, and an easy to use interface, Home Sweet Home allows you to nurture your creative side.

Remember – a house is not a home until its ‘Home Sweet Home’!

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnETDjKp8G4]

“The sort of title that you just know is destined for great things, and makes you proud to be a casual gamer. An original, eye-catching blend of puzzle-solving and real-time strategy mechanics based on an innovative concept – 4.5 stars” – Gamezebo.com

“Home Sweet Home is an original game to make your life, crazier, funnier, and brighter. The game features an attractive idea and combines different game styles.” – GameMile.com

Vancouver – Kerberos Studios has released an update to the lite action/RPG, Fort Zombie. Adding brand new content such as additional weapons, expanded town properties, and new mission locations, the survivors of Piety, Indiana now have even more ammunition (figuratively and literally) against the flood of zombies that have invaded the peaceful town and turned it into a battleground for survival.

Additionally, the latest update to Fort Zombie will enhance a variety of game aspects across the board, introducing more sound options, a mid-mission healing system, and improved interactions with weapons and other game objects.

To receive the update to your Fort Zombie copy, go to “MY GAMES” on your digital download account.

Now is the perfect time to jump into all of the terrifying action of Fort Zombie. Fort Zombie is available through all major digital distribution channels for the suggested retail price of $9.99

I have now logged over 48 hours of game play (probably closer to 58 now, because I started writing this yesterday) in Bioware’s Dragon Age: Origins (Xbox 360 CE), and there are many aspects I really like, but there are some that may take a bit of warming up to. Having read both of the prequel novels written by Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider, I knew a fair bit of the back-story and my progress through the game has been greatly aided by that knowledge. I am still amazed at the amount of story yet to be revealed through the Codex additions – I have lots of reading of the story’s bits and pieces I have picked up so far through quests, conversations and random items. This is a positive aspect, because I like games which tell a good story. The writing in Dragon Age is tight – and humorous. I have found myself at times just standing and listening to my “henchies” talk, and there has been many a time that I find myself laughing out loud at their dialogue. There are also a number of references to modern pop culture in the game – some of it so subtle that it can be missed if one is not paying attention. The “light” has gone on a few times after certain scenes or dialogues, when I realize what has transpired and its reference to something in our society.

I went with the human noble warrior for my first go around – I wanted to be a caster, because that is what I’m good at, but Scott talked me into trying something different. It has become (sometimes painfully) obvious that I am a far better caster than I am a warrior. Thank goodness for the ability to change which party member I can control during battle. I will, however, admit that I am getting better at melee combat. I still have a long way to go at being highly proficient in close-up and personal fighting, but I certainly like the amount of control Bioware gave us in character creation. I also really like that each character – Dwarf, Human or Elf has its own story beginning, as this adds to the replayability factor.

Each of the party member’s distinct personalities and beliefs play very important roles in how the game unfolds, as does each choice you make in the dialogue trees. One could almost feel sorry for Alistair as he goes through relentless teasing at the hands of Morrigan, whose own jaded view of the world at large often prevents her from seeing the simple good in people as anything other than weakness. During last night’s play, I caught Wynne also giving Alistair a rough time about filthy socks. Meanwhile Leliana appears to be the complete opposite – she is strong in her belief of all things good,  although I have a feeling that this is going to change at some point in time. Just a hunch – and some advance reading on Scott’s part. I haven’t made a lot of use of Zevran and Sten yet, but I’m sure they’ll get their chance in battle as well.

I’ve read many online comments about areas where players aren’t happy with the Tactics menu, or they aren’t happy with some of the sudden difficulty spikes. Maybe it’s just my play style, but I am not disappointed by any of it. Yes, some of the battles are insanely difficult and my hero may end up as a pile of ashes after being blasted by a huge fireball, but thanks to the Save Game function which I mostly remember to use, it’s “try, try again” for me. I probably died a dozen times trying to defeat Flemeth before going and doing some different quests first in order to level my Grey Warden some more and perhaps gain a little more help in the way of additional party members. Once I completed the quest for Shale and kicked Alistair out of the party for this particular task, I did it in one go. Shale is a very effective tank when equipped with the right crystals for the job. Next time around I will have to remember to go get Shale before hunting for the urn. Perhaps then I won’t turn into a crispy critter because I just had to ring the gong to see what it did. Apparently the dragon landing on the cliff edge was supposed to be a clue. Maker bless the Load Last Save function.

While I sometimes find the long cinematic conversations frustrating, I realize that they are an important game component – dispelling knowledge and opening different paths in the story, but geez sometimes I just want to get on with eliminating the vile creatures who are trying to take over my map.  On the plus side is the ability to skip forward through the conversations to get to where you want to be – whether it’s to retry a battle or to try a different path in the dialogue trees. On my next play-through I might just take the time to solve the puzzle and let the little girl live instead of allowing Kitty to possess her.

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Montreal – Earlier today Ubisoft released the final episode of their Assassin’s Creed 2 video dev diary series. Covering the importance of the Animus interface in the player’s game experience. Building on the foundation set in Assassin’s Creed, the development team took some risks in taking the Animus’ capabilities even further. Presentation Art Director Laura De Young says in the video that the team broke a few design rules to immerse the gamer more fully into Ezio’s story, offering such features as historical and local facts.

We also get a look at even more of the new features coming in Assassin’s Creed 2, which will be available in Canadian stores this November 23rd.  The video introduces Ezio’s family villa, which at the beginning of the game will be in very sad disrepair. Through game advancement, the player can rebuild the villa, making it a vibrant and productive community. The villa will serve as Ezio’s Assassin Stronghold, and will also provide storage for all of the equipment and treasures acquired – something which makes the treasure hunter in me very happy. I hate it when I have to dispense with a treasure due to space constraints.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0wtpU1QF10]

Vancouver – Coming soon from Slant Six Games and Sony Computer Entertainment of America is Cold Front, the first downloadable expansion pack for SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALS Confrontation.

Cold Front adds five maps to Confrontation, including two brand new maps, and three classic maps. Three additional clan factions compliment the new conflict zones based in Eastern Europe and Russia including Russian Spetsnaz, Italian Colm and Dutch KCT.

The added forces come with three new weapons, alpine equipment and camouflage to support encounters using thermal scope and turrets. The maps also support an all-new game mode Arms Run, challenging the commandos to prevent mercenaries from launching deadly missiles.

Along with the host of increased customization options, Cold Front players may also develop Weapon Specialties and through progression unlock Exclusive Equipment. While developing their characters, Cold Front players can also enjoy the new music while working towards New PSN Trophies.

Over the next few weeks, Slant Six would like to share some production notes with you regarding some of the new maps and shed a little insight on how these maps came together.

This week the studio is featuring Blizzard, a classic map from SOCOM 1 and 2 that has been updated with HD graphics and effects. In order to enhance the player’s experience with this perennial favourite, we opted to make the weather a key gameplay aspect. The calm atmosphere of previous iterations of the map has been completely reworked with visibility now being hindered by the constant flurry of snow and winds that pound against your character.

The biggest challenge developers have faced so far in updating Blizzard to PS3 from PS2 was working with open terrain and wide open sight lines. Balancing the blizzard effects, vegetation, and open terrain to achieve the right amount of visibility among the characters has proven to be an interesting challenge.

In summary, Cold Front features:

* 2 All-New Maps
* Uprising, Entrapment
* 3 Classic Maps: Blizzard, Night Stalker, Vigilance
* All New Game Mode
* Arms Run
* 3 New Special Forces
* Russian Spetsnaz, Italian COLM, Dutch KCT
* Character Specialization System
* 6 Enhanced weapons, 5 Enhanced Attachments
* New Weapons
* 3 All-new weapons, 2 All-new weapon attachments, 2 New 40mm grenades
* Additional Content
* Gun Turret Emplacements
* New Trophies, New Music
* New Character Models, Alpine Gear and Camouflage

Vancouver – IUGO is happy to report the launch of Implode! on the App Store. Implode! is yet another premium casual game that has launched along with recent releases Zombie Attack! Second Wave and Cliffed, bringing IUGO’s current total of published iPhone games to 12.

“It’s amazing to think we’ve only been developing for the iPhone/iPod platforms for a little over a year,” exclaims Sarah Thomson, Director of Business Development for IUGO. “We’re very proud of the quality products we have released and so pleased to see how our users have been rating and enjoying our games. I think we have achieved the respect from users and industry critics alike as well as established ourselves as one of the top developers on the platform.”

Implode! Description:

This game is a blast! You are tasked to carefully plant limited dynamite bundles in order to demo obsolete structures. Sounds easy enough, right? WRONG! Implode! is a classic “easy to learn, hard to master” casual game that will pull you in and won’t let go. Features include:

• 60 dynamite levels
• Reactive UI, touch and drag control options
• Fun chalkboard theme and clean graphics
• Two different types of bombs (traditional bombs and blast bombs)
• Varying structure shapes for ongoing challenge
• Submit score online (online score is the sum of all levels’ high scores)
• Grading system for high scores adding replayability to each level
• 3 Difficulties; Casual, Veteran, and Expert
• In-level help system: Learn as you play!
• IUGO VIP: Sandbox cheat gives you more bombs and you never fail! (high scores disabled with this feature)
• Watch buildings tumble with real physics!

Implode! is available for $1.99 on the App Store.

Montreal – Penguin Books and Ubisoft announced today a groundbreaking partnership that will bring together the worlds of gaming and publishing in a unique collaboration. The new book, Assassin’s Creed Renaissance, is based on Ubisoft Entertainment’s blockbuster interactive entertainment game Assassin’s Creed II®, and will be published in association with Ubisoft.

“Penguin is hugely excited to be publishing the novelisation to the second Assassin’s Creed game” said Editorial Director Alex Clarke. “This partnership presents at last a way for traditional book-publishing to cross-over with the ever growing and increasingly exciting world of gaming media.”

He continued: “Assassin’s Creed II offers a wonderfully rich gaming experience; Ubisoft have crafted a brilliant storyline with superbly realised characters which translates seamlessly into a wonderfully fast-paced and enthralling historical thriller. For Penguin this dovetails perfectly with the appetite of historical fiction fans.”

Assassin’s Creed® is a record breaking game franchise that has seduced millions since its release in 2007. It became the fastest selling new video game ever in the US and the UK, with more than 9 million games sold worldwide for the first opus alone. This second game promises to captivate gamers and history-lovers alike on a similar scale.

“We’re delighted to be working with Penguin Books” said Rob Cooper, Managing Director of Ubisoft. “Assassin’s Creed Renaissance will offer the public a new and exciting way to experience the narrative world of Assassin’s Creed II. The book deal with Penguin, along with the Assassin’s Creed Lineage film series, is part of an ambition to bring the Assassin’s Creed franchise to multiple entertainment media. These projects along with the game itself will provide a truly immersive experience.”

Editor’s Note: According to this press release, Assassin’s Creed Renaissance will publish in the UK on November 26 2009, but does not say anything about Canada. AC Renaissance is listed on Amazon UK and Amazon.com, but a search on Amazon.ca and Chapters.ca gave no results for this title. I did find results on Chapters.ca for two Assassin’s Creed titles by Steven Barnes slated to publish in …2030? A search on Penguin.ca also resulted in zero results. A search for the author’s name, Oliver Bowden, on Amazon.ca resulted in a book titled “Assassin’s Creed” with a February 2010 release date from publisher Ace Books, which is a branch of Penguin Books. The same search on Chapters.ca returned several pages of results, but none for this author. Lots of Jamie Oliver cookbooks, though.

Hopefully this just means that the title has not yet been added to the two Canadian bookseller sites but will be soon.

Sherbrooke – Independent game developer Citérémis today released Aztaka on the Steam Digital Distribution Platform. Aztaka is a side-scrolling role-playing adventure that blends classic gameplay with modern technology and high-end graphics.

Inspired by Aztec legend, Aztaka drops players into the middle of a war between mankind and the gods. Only Huitzilo, who’s skilled in the arts of combat and magic, can save his people from the wrath of the Aztec deities.

Aztaka features richly detailed backdrops and fluid character animation, immersing players in a heroic quest to collect seven Phonograms. Featuring 21 levels packed with mythological creatures, quests and puzzles, Aztaka provides a new universe for action-RPG fans to explore.

Already receiving high praise for its exceptional graphics and innovative controls, Aztaka will reach an even wider player base through Steam.

“We’re thrilled to have Steam host Aztaka. This opens up a new audience to us, and we’re confident people will appreciate Aztaka’s combination of an Aztec-inspired world and old school action-RPG gameplay,” says Citérémis president Jonathan Mercier.

Edmonton – Recruit your crew and fight for the lost! Leading video game developer BioWare™ has announced that the internationally acclaimed Shooter RPG Mass Effect™ 2 will also be released as a Collectors’ Edition in limited quantities. Available on January 26 in North America alongside the standard edition, the Collectors’ Edition of Mass Effect 2 comes in a premium, tin case and includes the full version of the game, a 48-page hardcover “Art of Mass Effect 2” book, Issue 1 of the Mass Effect Redemption comic book, and a bonus DVD with behind-the-scenes and making-of videos. In addition, the Mass Effect 2 Collectors’ Edition will include unique in-game weapons and armor that can only be obtained by purchasing this version. With its larger-than-life hero Commander Shepard, intense shooter action, nuanced characters and a rich storyline, Mass Effect 2 is one of the most anticipated titles of 2010.

“We’re really excited to roll out this Collectors’ Edition featuring so many unique items, including special Collectors’ Edition armor and weapons and content that will surprise Mass Effect fans,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA. “The limited edition comic book and bonus DVD will really enhance and expand the overall Mass Effect 2 experience.”

The Mass Effect trilogy is an emotionally charged science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will once again step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding their crew of some of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich futuristic storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience.

Mass Effect 2 will be available on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC. The Mass Effect 2 Collectors’ Edition will retail at an MSRP of $69.99 on Xbox 360 and $59.99 on PC.

Vancouver – PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system owners, the wait is almost over! Soon you too can run, jump and bend time, as Hothead Games announced today that it will be digitally delivering Jonathan Blow’s Braid to the PlayStation®Network in North America on Nov. 12 with a European version to be announced shortly thereafter.

Explore the human condition and manipulate time as our hero Tim leaps onto the PlayStation®Network in the lush, painterly world of Braid, a puzzle-platformer that takes you from a house in the city on a journey through a series of worlds to solve puzzles and rescue the princess. In each world, you have a different power to affect the way time behaves, including the ability to rewind, create parallel realities and utilize time dilation to overcome the many obstacles in your path. There is no filler in this game; every puzzle shows you something new and interesting about the game world.

Key Features:

• Untraditional platforming – You can never die and never lose, but challenge is always present and focused on solving puzzles, rather than forcing you to play and replay tricky jumps.
• Puzzle-rich environment – Travel through a series of worlds, searching for puzzle pieces and solving puzzles by manipulating time: rewinding, creating parallel universes and setting up pockets of dilated time. The game play is always fresh and new and the puzzles inspire new ways of thinking.
• Aesthetic design – A painterly art style and lush, organic soundtrack complement the unique game play.
• Nonlinear story – A nonlinear fiction links the various worlds and provides real-world metaphors for your time manipulations; act out these themes at your own pace, exploring playful “what if” universes.
• Forgiving game play – The game doesn’t force you to solve puzzles in order to proceed. If you can’t figure something out, just play onward and return to that puzzle later.

Braid has been rated “E 10+” for Everyone 10 and older by the Entertainment Software Rating Board for all platforms.