Natural Threat: Ominous Shores
Natural Threat: Ominous Shores mixes nature and science in hidden object harmony
Some uncharted lands should remain that way, as you'll discover in Alawar's upcoming hidden object adventure game Natural Threat: Ominous Shores. Science has long abandoned a forgotten island in the middle of the Pacific, but your friends have been captured there by unforgiving mutations of humanity. You'll need to use every ounce of observation and courage available to you to fight the threat that is stalking you and save your friends before it's too late.
Gallery: Natural Threat: Ominous Shores
Natural Threat looks to be much more of an adventure game than a hidden object game, with 32 different locations to explore, but only nine hidden object scenes to complete. The game's two difficulty levels will allow you an easier or more challenging time through the game (depending on your choice), including its 30 different puzzles and mini-games.
Thứ Ba, 6 tháng 3, 2012
Jane Austen gets her game on from the grave in Rogues & Romance
Actually, scratch that: The legendary author is more likely to be turning in her grave. Between her most famous novel being zombified and now this, Jane Austen has probably become one disgruntled ghost. BBC Worldwide and Los Angeles-based Legacy Interactive have announced Jane Austen's Rogues & Romance for Facebook, a hidden-object social game based on Pride and Prejudice.
Rogues & Romance, for all intents and purposes, is The BBC's response to the explosion of hidden-object games on Facebook using a powerful (and oddly fitting) brand. According to Legacy Interactive creative director Donald Marshall, Rogues & Romance sees Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy somehow escape the pages of Austen's timeless novel. Of course, it will be your job to help bring them back into the book by finding various hidden objects in scenes inspired by the book.
Jane Austen's Rogues & Romance logo
While finding out how to convince Bennet and Darcy to get back into Pride and Prejudice, players will get to decorate their own manor house, dress up their avatars in Regency-era duds and "court" ... however that may pertain to the game. Legacy Interactive CEO Ariella Lehrer is apparently a member of The Jane Austen Society of North America, and her knowledge of all things Austen has been vital to the social game's creation.
Jane Austen's first social game is in the works courtesy of Cerebral Fix as well, with The BBC having worked to bring brands to free-to-play gaming before, like Dr. Who. As of this writing, Rogues & Romance is in the middle of a closed beta test, with a public release slated for March. You can find out even more about the game at its dedicated website, right here.
[Via Inside Social Games]
Are you excited or disappointed to learn that a Jane Austen social game is in the works? What has been your favorite branded Facebook game so far? S
Rogues & Romance, for all intents and purposes, is The BBC's response to the explosion of hidden-object games on Facebook using a powerful (and oddly fitting) brand. According to Legacy Interactive creative director Donald Marshall, Rogues & Romance sees Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy somehow escape the pages of Austen's timeless novel. Of course, it will be your job to help bring them back into the book by finding various hidden objects in scenes inspired by the book.
Jane Austen's Rogues & Romance logo
While finding out how to convince Bennet and Darcy to get back into Pride and Prejudice, players will get to decorate their own manor house, dress up their avatars in Regency-era duds and "court" ... however that may pertain to the game. Legacy Interactive CEO Ariella Lehrer is apparently a member of The Jane Austen Society of North America, and her knowledge of all things Austen has been vital to the social game's creation.
Jane Austen's first social game is in the works courtesy of Cerebral Fix as well, with The BBC having worked to bring brands to free-to-play gaming before, like Dr. Who. As of this writing, Rogues & Romance is in the middle of a closed beta test, with a public release slated for March. You can find out even more about the game at its dedicated website, right here.
[Via Inside Social Games]
Are you excited or disappointed to learn that a Jane Austen social game is in the works? What has been your favorite branded Facebook game so far? S
Dear Esther: A review
Dear Esther
Dear Dear Esther,
I'm not a philosopher. While I do find myself pondering and analyzing from time to time, I don't make a daily routine out of finding "the meaning of it all" so I can't pretend to be one. I'm not entirely sure that you require the person you're interacting with to be one, which is a good thing. Your calming mood and subdued narrator are something that many people will enjoy, so it's a good idea not to turn anyone off with my take on you. But really though, the question is: What are you?
Gallery: Dear Esther
It would almost be rude of me to call you a "game" in the traditional sense. You're completely unlike most of what people will find here on Gamezebo. You're interactive, but there's not a single combative element to you. It's more that you have a story to tell, or you want to relay some details about something else that happened in your world. Either way, you let people stroll around your world, leaving it completely up to them to decide what paths to take and what sights to see. You don't let them run or jump, only walking and using one button to slightly zoom their vision. Four chapters are offered to your viewers that flow into each other with short breaks to load the next one. The experience could be over in an hour or four, depending on how much people want to see of what you have to offer.
Dear Dear Esther,
I'm not a philosopher. While I do find myself pondering and analyzing from time to time, I don't make a daily routine out of finding "the meaning of it all" so I can't pretend to be one. I'm not entirely sure that you require the person you're interacting with to be one, which is a good thing. Your calming mood and subdued narrator are something that many people will enjoy, so it's a good idea not to turn anyone off with my take on you. But really though, the question is: What are you?
Gallery: Dear Esther
It would almost be rude of me to call you a "game" in the traditional sense. You're completely unlike most of what people will find here on Gamezebo. You're interactive, but there's not a single combative element to you. It's more that you have a story to tell, or you want to relay some details about something else that happened in your world. Either way, you let people stroll around your world, leaving it completely up to them to decide what paths to take and what sights to see. You don't let them run or jump, only walking and using one button to slightly zoom their vision. Four chapters are offered to your viewers that flow into each other with short breaks to load the next one. The experience could be over in an hour or four, depending on how much people want to see of what you have to offer.
Realm of the Mad God gives Steam some priceless, pixelated love
If you're a fan of indie games (and things that are awesome), chances are you've already played Realm of the Mad God. If that's the case, then chances are you're also a fan of Steam, developer Valve's game distribution service-meets-player network. A collision of two such awesome things was previously deemed impossible, but behold: Realm of the Mad God is now on Steam.
Realm of the Mad God (RotMG) maker Spry Fox--currently in a legal tussle with 6waves Lolapps--has described its gem as a "cooperative MMO bullet hell shooter," which will sound about right for those who've had the pleasure of playing. In RotMG, players must team up with their buddies as one of several staple role-playing game classes in the fight against the forces of Oryx. He is, well, a very angry god.
To dive in, all players need to do is open up Steam, head over to the store and then the "Free to Play" section under the "Genres" tab. Then it's as easy as clicking "Play Game." RotMG is just the latest in a string of free-to-play games to hit Steam, including Valve's own Team Fortress 2. (Reloaded Productions' post-apocalyptic, free-to-play MMO Fallen Earth was also added to Steam.) Want a primer on how to best tackle Realm of the Mad God? Check out our guide.
[Via MMO Hut]
Are you a fan of Realm of the Mad God? What do you think of the free-to-play offerings on Steam so far?
Realm of the Mad God (RotMG) maker Spry Fox--currently in a legal tussle with 6waves Lolapps--has described its gem as a "cooperative MMO bullet hell shooter," which will sound about right for those who've had the pleasure of playing. In RotMG, players must team up with their buddies as one of several staple role-playing game classes in the fight against the forces of Oryx. He is, well, a very angry god.
To dive in, all players need to do is open up Steam, head over to the store and then the "Free to Play" section under the "Genres" tab. Then it's as easy as clicking "Play Game." RotMG is just the latest in a string of free-to-play games to hit Steam, including Valve's own Team Fortress 2. (Reloaded Productions' post-apocalyptic, free-to-play MMO Fallen Earth was also added to Steam.) Want a primer on how to best tackle Realm of the Mad God? Check out our guide.
[Via MMO Hut]
Are you a fan of Realm of the Mad God? What do you think of the free-to-play offerings on Steam so far?
Amulet of Time: Shadow of la Rochelle: A review
Travel through time to find the would-be assassin of the King of France
In the present day, you're greeted by the ghost of Diane de Poitiers, mistress to the King of France in the 16th century. She calls for your help in saving her love and gives you an amulet capable of sending you back in time. In Amulet of Time: Shadow of la Rochelle, you'll travel throughout 16th century France, unlocking the secrets behind the King's attempted assassination, and unmasking those behind the conspiracy.
Gallery: Amulet of Time
Amulet of Time is, first and foremost, a hidden object game. This is almost to a fault, as there are far more scenes to complete than environments to explore. Still, there's a lot to do in the game, often requiring you to collect multiple items from a single scene that can be used elsewhere. The game employs a sort of living hidden object mechanic, where you'll be given a large list of items that you need to collect (say, ingredients to a potion or materials for a dress) but then allows you to freely move about the game's different environments to find them, rather than forcing you to find them within a single scene. Traditional HO scenes exist as well, with these being your average junkpiles. You can hover over items on your lists to see silhouettes of the items if you aren't sure what to look for, and the hint system recharges quite quickly if you still need it.
In the present day, you're greeted by the ghost of Diane de Poitiers, mistress to the King of France in the 16th century. She calls for your help in saving her love and gives you an amulet capable of sending you back in time. In Amulet of Time: Shadow of la Rochelle, you'll travel throughout 16th century France, unlocking the secrets behind the King's attempted assassination, and unmasking those behind the conspiracy.
Gallery: Amulet of Time
Amulet of Time is, first and foremost, a hidden object game. This is almost to a fault, as there are far more scenes to complete than environments to explore. Still, there's a lot to do in the game, often requiring you to collect multiple items from a single scene that can be used elsewhere. The game employs a sort of living hidden object mechanic, where you'll be given a large list of items that you need to collect (say, ingredients to a potion or materials for a dress) but then allows you to freely move about the game's different environments to find them, rather than forcing you to find them within a single scene. Traditional HO scenes exist as well, with these being your average junkpiles. You can hover over items on your lists to see silhouettes of the items if you aren't sure what to look for, and the hint system recharges quite quickly if you still need it.
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Film Fatale
Film Fatale: Lights, Camera, Madness is a fast, fun, and fantastic romp
On the surface, Film Fatale: Lights, Camera, Madness! is entirely unremarkable in just about every way. It's graphically bland, not very challenging, and almost criminally short. Yet it's also the most fun I've had with a hidden object game in a very long time. It's a classic example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts - and it's a blast.
Gallery: Film Fatale
Back in the 1940s, one film director towered above all the rest: M.W. Vernon, a man of unparalleled vision and drive who built a movie studio on his own private island, where he intended to create his magnum opus. But plagued by infighting, financial troubles, injuries and even deaths, the project fell apart, leaving Vernon a broken man, driven to madness by his failure. The world slowly forgot about the mysterious studio, but now retired movie star Rita Ray has been kidnapped, and it's up to her daughter - that's you - to follow her to Vernon's island and bring her home!
Film Fatale: Lights, Camera, Madness is a fast, fun, and fantastic romp
On the surface, Film Fatale: Lights, Camera, Madness! is entirely unremarkable in just about every way. It's graphically bland, not very challenging, and almost criminally short. Yet it's also the most fun I've had with a hidden object game in a very long time. It's a classic example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts - and it's a blast.
Gallery: Film Fatale
Back in the 1940s, one film director towered above all the rest: M.W. Vernon, a man of unparalleled vision and drive who built a movie studio on his own private island, where he intended to create his magnum opus. But plagued by infighting, financial troubles, injuries and even deaths, the project fell apart, leaving Vernon a broken man, driven to madness by his failure. The world slowly forgot about the mysterious studio, but now retired movie star Rita Ray has been kidnapped, and it's up to her daughter - that's you - to follow her to Vernon's island and bring her home!
Thứ Bảy, 3 tháng 3, 2012
Digital Chocolate expands its reach with acquisition of Sandlot Games
Digital Chocolate, a social game developer for mobile and Facebook best known for the popular game Millionaire City, has just acquired Sandlot Games. Sandlot Games are a publisher that host a variety of games on their web portal, with favorites being Super Granny and Cake Mania. The company is headquartered in Bothell, Washington and was founded in 2002, making it a fairly experienced casual games development team.
Trip Hawkins, Founder and CEO of Digital Chocolate says that this acquisition will help them "now expand further in Seattle and Eastern Europe." He also mentions that they expect to be the leading game studio in 5 of the 7 cities where they have a development presence. The partnership is mutually beneficial, enabling both parties to reach larger audiences with their cross--platform titles.
Digital Chocolate has been doing well in their efforts to go cross-platform. The company has had over 100 million game installs of titles like Millionaire City and Zombie Lane on the web, and has released over 100 social and casual titles.
Trip Hawkins, Founder and CEO of Digital Chocolate says that this acquisition will help them "now expand further in Seattle and Eastern Europe." He also mentions that they expect to be the leading game studio in 5 of the 7 cities where they have a development presence. The partnership is mutually beneficial, enabling both parties to reach larger audiences with their cross--platform titles.
Digital Chocolate has been doing well in their efforts to go cross-platform. The company has had over 100 million game installs of titles like Millionaire City and Zombie Lane on the web, and has released over 100 social and casual titles.
EA sinks its teeth into Trade Nations developer Bight Games
Sometimes they're just way too easy to pass up. EA, veteran games publisher and now proud owner of PopCap Games, has purchased Charlottetown, Canada-based mobile game developer Bight Games for an undisclosed amount. (And just when you thought EA had little money left to throw around.)
Bight Games is best known for freemium iPhone games, or mobile games that take on the Facebook games payment model, like Trade Nations. In fact, the developer recently brought it's popular iPhone game published by Z2Live, Trade Nations, to Facebook.
Bight Games will join the existing EA Interactive (EAi) development division in Canada, though according to a blog post written by EAi lead Barry Cottle, EAi and Bight Games already go way back. The team has helped in the creation of several unnamed EAi mobile games, so I guess we can think of this as the two simply tying the knot after dating for so long--so cute!
"The freemium game model in mobile is here to stay, and it's growing fast," Cottle writes. And the guy has a point. Just look at games like Smurfs Village for iPhone by Capcom, which we all know probably did a little too well. But that's just one of likely hundreds of successful freemium games on smartphones. And EAi looks to dig deeper into that gold mine once the deal closes later this month.
[Via VentureBeat]
Do you think this was a good move for EA and EAi? With Bight Games, do you think EA could find success on mobile phones with the freemium model like Capcom has with its Beeline division?
Bight Games is best known for freemium iPhone games, or mobile games that take on the Facebook games payment model, like Trade Nations. In fact, the developer recently brought it's popular iPhone game published by Z2Live, Trade Nations, to Facebook.
Bight Games will join the existing EA Interactive (EAi) development division in Canada, though according to a blog post written by EAi lead Barry Cottle, EAi and Bight Games already go way back. The team has helped in the creation of several unnamed EAi mobile games, so I guess we can think of this as the two simply tying the knot after dating for so long--so cute!
"The freemium game model in mobile is here to stay, and it's growing fast," Cottle writes. And the guy has a point. Just look at games like Smurfs Village for iPhone by Capcom, which we all know probably did a little too well. But that's just one of likely hundreds of successful freemium games on smartphones. And EAi looks to dig deeper into that gold mine once the deal closes later this month.
[Via VentureBeat]
Do you think this was a good move for EA and EAi? With Bight Games, do you think EA could find success on mobile phones with the freemium model like Capcom has with its Beeline division?
Order & Chaos Online's Gameloft hits the bayou in New Orleans studio
The land of Mardi Gras and jambalaya will soon be known for another, more international pastime: video games. Gameloft, creator of mobile and Facebook games like Order & Chaos Online and N.O.V.A. Elite, has announced that it will open a studio in New Orleans, La. beginning Oct. 1 of this year. The Paris-based worldwide mobile games publisher is moving to the unofficial French capital of the states early with the promise that it will move into a more permanent location in 2012.
According to The Advertiser, Gameloft plans to hire 20 employees with the goal of creating its first locally-developed game within its first year. So, expect the first game to come from Gameloft New Orleans by October of 2012, and by then the company expects the studio to house at least 53 employees. Later, the studio is expected to grow to over 100 more employees to join Gameloft's 4,000-strong global talent force.
"As we seek to expand our presence in the U.S. we are looking for the most talented gaming professionals to help us maintain our position as an industry leader in digital and social games," said Gameloft studio GM Samir El Agili. We sure hope that these future developers have a better time than some reportedly did in Gameloft New Zealand. Then again, there's no way that could possibly happen in one of the party capitals of the U.S, right?
[Image Credit: Joystiq]
Do you think Gameloft moving into New Orleans is a good move on its part? Do you have any excuse not to head down there now?
According to The Advertiser, Gameloft plans to hire 20 employees with the goal of creating its first locally-developed game within its first year. So, expect the first game to come from Gameloft New Orleans by October of 2012, and by then the company expects the studio to house at least 53 employees. Later, the studio is expected to grow to over 100 more employees to join Gameloft's 4,000-strong global talent force.
"As we seek to expand our presence in the U.S. we are looking for the most talented gaming professionals to help us maintain our position as an industry leader in digital and social games," said Gameloft studio GM Samir El Agili. We sure hope that these future developers have a better time than some reportedly did in Gameloft New Zealand. Then again, there's no way that could possibly happen in one of the party capitals of the U.S, right?
[Image Credit: Joystiq]
Do you think Gameloft moving into New Orleans is a good move on its part? Do you have any excuse not to head down there now?
Facebook: Google charges '5% because they don't have any users'
In my alley, them's fightin' words. The words came from the mouth of Facebook Director of Games Partnerships Sean Ryan during an event last week, Fortune reports. More specifically, Ryan is referring to the fact that Google takes just a 5 percent cut in revenues from developers with games hosted on its fresh Google+ social platform. Compare that to Facebook's whopping 30 percent through its Facebook Credits payment system, and you can see why Ryan would have such strong words for Google.
According to Fortune, Ryan likened Google's entry into the social games space to when McDonald's entered the premium coffee biz, where Starbucks has reigned supreme. (Fortune also cleverly points out that coffee has been huge for Mickey D's.) Google launched Google+ Games just last week with support from several major developers including Zynga, EA (and PopCap) and Wooga--three of the largest Facebook game developers today.
And Fortune reports that Google+ already has 25 million registered users, so it's growing rather quickly. Regardless, Google still has a ways to go in the face of Facebook's gargantuan 750 million-strong user base, not to mention a whopping 270 million monthly social gamers. If anything, it's simply amusing to see Facebook squirm ... at least just a little bit. Let's just wait and see if Google+ Games can turn those squirms into shivers.
[Image Credit: Content Crossroads]
Do you think Facebook's Sean Ryan was right in saying this? Do you think Google+ Games has a chance to compete with Facebook?
According to Fortune, Ryan likened Google's entry into the social games space to when McDonald's entered the premium coffee biz, where Starbucks has reigned supreme. (Fortune also cleverly points out that coffee has been huge for Mickey D's.) Google launched Google+ Games just last week with support from several major developers including Zynga, EA (and PopCap) and Wooga--three of the largest Facebook game developers today.
And Fortune reports that Google+ already has 25 million registered users, so it's growing rather quickly. Regardless, Google still has a ways to go in the face of Facebook's gargantuan 750 million-strong user base, not to mention a whopping 270 million monthly social gamers. If anything, it's simply amusing to see Facebook squirm ... at least just a little bit. Let's just wait and see if Google+ Games can turn those squirms into shivers.
[Image Credit: Content Crossroads]
Do you think Facebook's Sean Ryan was right in saying this? Do you think Google+ Games has a chance to compete with Facebook?
Sony PS Vita adds standard social features to its 'revolutionary' arsenal
When it's the nauseating buzz word of the decade, who can blame 'em? Sony's Jim Ryan revealed today during the company's keynote at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany that its upcoming PSP successor, the PS Vita, will have support for a number of social networks, Kotaku reports. Ryan touted that the Vita will allow players to access Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and even call their friends using Skype.
I can think of, well, hundreds of devices you can access all four of those services on, play games and (drum roll, please) ... make phone calls with. They're called smartphones, and they are exactly what Sony is looking at every time it utters the words "social gaming revolution." Honestly, I'd be more wowed if the Vita didn't include these features considering its aggressive approach to social gaming thus far. Not to mention existing PSPs can already make Skype calls and access Facebook.
Now, if game developers make liberal use of these social networks as gameplay mechanics, then I'd almost certainly be impressed. (And no, I'm not implying that FarmVille belongs on the PS Vita.) Pokes and prods almost aside, these features look to be supplemental to what Sony calls "revolutionary" social features like Near, Live and Party. But honestly, at this point, couldn't Sony have just made this the PlayStation Phone? Hey, I'm just sayin'. Check out video of the announcement below:
[Video Credit: Kotaku's Mike Fahey]
Do you think the PS Vita will be revolutionary when it comes to social gaming? Will this be enough for Sony to compete with the growing shift toward mobile phone gaming?
I can think of, well, hundreds of devices you can access all four of those services on, play games and (drum roll, please) ... make phone calls with. They're called smartphones, and they are exactly what Sony is looking at every time it utters the words "social gaming revolution." Honestly, I'd be more wowed if the Vita didn't include these features considering its aggressive approach to social gaming thus far. Not to mention existing PSPs can already make Skype calls and access Facebook.
Now, if game developers make liberal use of these social networks as gameplay mechanics, then I'd almost certainly be impressed. (And no, I'm not implying that FarmVille belongs on the PS Vita.) Pokes and prods almost aside, these features look to be supplemental to what Sony calls "revolutionary" social features like Near, Live and Party. But honestly, at this point, couldn't Sony have just made this the PlayStation Phone? Hey, I'm just sayin'. Check out video of the announcement below:
[Video Credit: Kotaku's Mike Fahey]
Do you think the PS Vita will be revolutionary when it comes to social gaming? Will this be enough for Sony to compete with the growing shift toward mobile phone gaming?
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