Village Gamer

Going Loud Studios is proud to announce that “Lair of the Evildoer” is now available on the Xbox Live Indie Games marketplace. Gamers can download it from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 80 Microsoft Points.

“We strove to make a game that is fun to play from moment to moment but also has a driving force that makes it compelling to explore levels, collect weapons and improve your character.” said Ben Kane, founder of Going Loud Studios. “Twin-stick shooting can often be a shallow experience. The variety of enemies and levels as well as the vast arsenal of weapons available gives Lair of the Evildoer the depth to make it worth playing, worth finishing and worth playing again.”

The evil Dr. Odious has you trapped in his lair. He’s also not very fond of you. Make your escape by battling through hundreds of monsters, collecting over 25 weapons and leveling up as you go. Procedurally generated levels will keep you on your toes in this action RPG shooter, ensuring a different experience with every playthrough.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKvdsSlpY3k]

Game Features:

Procedurally generated lair:
Dr. Odious’ lair consists of 20 levels procedurally generated by pure evil, ensuring unique experiences with every playthrough. Take the fight through the laboratory, the dungeon and even the wood-panelled decor of Dr. Odious’ 70s-era office. The wood panelling may be the most evil thing in the lair.

Over 30 types of enemies:
Standing between you and the exit will be hundreds of monsters of varying levels of evil. Classic creations like skeletons and the undead are flanked by Dr. Odious’ mechanical Killbots, automated turrets and even his zombie accountants. Not one to rest on his laurels, Dr. Odious has given the walking dead a set of wheels, creating what he likes to call “Zoombies”.

Weapon affix system, featuring 25 weapon types with dozens of variations:
Your only allies in your attempt to escape the lair have names like “Boomstick”, “Tommy Gun” and “Sledgehammer”. Fortunately, each of the 25 different types of melee and ranged weapons can come equipped with a variety of properties and special attributes. Keep hunting for the best loot! The “Trusty Axe of Slaying” could give you the edge you need.

Level up your character to survive:
Everything in Lair of the Evildoer is governed by a stats system that you can customize as you progress through the game. Improve your accuracy and ability to carry ammo if you prefer ranged combat. Beef up your melee striking power and reduce the effects of knock-back if you prefer to get up close and personal.

Rock Hippo Productions Ltd. announced today that the online cartoon style and free to play third-person action shooter MicroVolts.  Officially launched one week ago, MicroVolts has enjoyed a rapidly growing player base, glowing player and critical reviews and over 31,000 Facebook fans. The company is celebrating its first week with the release of a new official wallpaper, events, prizes and more.

“We have been thrilled with the official launch of MicroVolts.  We’re seeing our player base grow in leaps and bounds and getting great feedback from our MicroVolts community,” said Howard He, President and CEO of Rock Hippo Productions.  “Our players’ characters are already sporting many of the newly released items such as Naomi’s Cupcake Dress and Knox’s Skeleton Jacket and arming themselves with new weapons such as the Mimic Grenade Launcher and the DareDev Gatling Gun. MicroVolters from all over the world are continuing to wage their secret war in the new map, The Studio, and all of this is just the beginning!”

To thank the growing community for helping make the game a success in its first week, Rock Hippo Productions has released an official MicroVolts wallpaper to commemorate the successful launch.  Players can download the official wallpaper showing Naomi, Knox, Pandora, and C.H.I.P .in action from the  MicroVolts web site.

Here are some of the things it seems MicroVolters can’t get enough of:

Clan Feature: MicroVolts’ new clan feature has boosted the competitive spirit amongst MicroVolters with over 1000 clans already created.  In the new Clan Hall, players can now create or manage their clans.  They can also request membership into coveted clans or recruit elite members to their ranks.  Players ultimately compete in-game with other clans for domination of the MicroWorld and placement on the Clan Leaderboard that will be re-launched tomorrow, Friday June 17 along with some other clan updates.

Shop: Players are enjoying the newly launched Web and In-Game Shop and all the access to exclusive items that this feature grants them. MicroVolts plans to continue to expand its payment options and availability to more countries to better support the ever-growing community.

“Free the Hippo” Tournament: Players are amped for the ”Free the Hippo: Free For All Tournament” being held on Saturday, June 18th. Prizes include up to 135K MP and a Hippo In Style costume set.

Other Ocean Interactive is proud to reveal that Sir Patrick Stewart, the acclaimed TV and film star, will be lending his voice talents to The War of the Worlds, its upcoming cinematic side-scrolling platformer, coming to Xbox LIVE®Arcade and PlayStation®Network later this year. Based on the classic novel by H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds showcases Stewart’s distinct voice as the narration for the game, which follows one man’s experience in 1950s London during a decimating alien invasion.

Known to millions for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the popular TV show Star Trek: The Next Generation, as well as his performance as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men film franchise, Stewart has enjoyed tremendous success over his decades-long film career including several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.  However, providing narration for The War of the Worlds is an experience that hearkens back to Stewart’s childhood.

“As a young boy, I remember watching the The War of the Worlds so many times I was quoting the lines,” said Stewart. “The alien invasion both terrified and fascinated me and the movie has stuck with me since then. Now, being part of this project will provide a new way for gamers around the world to experience a fresh new take on a classic.”

The War of the Worlds is a dark and breathtaking new vision inspired by the classic H.G. Wells novel, retold as a single player, 2D action-adventure. The gameplay narrative parallels the timeline and events from the 1953 movie adaptation, but introduces a new story arc, characters, locations, and sub-plots.  With gameplay paying homage to classic cinematic platformers such as Flashback and Out of This World, players follow the exploits of an unknown everyman struggling to escape the Martian invasion of London and rescue his family. Forced to think through insurmountable odds, players will outsmart an army of alien tripods, spiders and drones as they make their way through a landscape of total devastation.

Paradox Interactive and Vancouver’s Kerberos Studios unravel more mysteries of the universe in a new gameplay trailer for Sword of the Stars II: The Lords of Winter, sequel to Kerberos’ hit 4X science fiction strategy game. Bigger, better, stronger, faster. Sword of the Stars II comes to your corner of the galaxy this autumn.

Features:

– Lead one of six playable factions, including a mysterious new race with an influence that was felt throughout Sword of the Stars I, as you strive for galactic dominance
– Discover highly detailed star systems featuring planetary orbits, moons, asteroid belts and different space terrain
– Experience 4X space strategy in stunning new ways with the powerful MARS 2 graphics engine
– Design and build your own ships – including the formidable new Leviathan class – with new levels of detail, including specific sub systems, allowing for more fleet strategies and tactics
– Research advanced technology, from the Fusion era to the Anti-Matter era and beyond…
– Engage in fierce multiplayer battles with up to 8 players

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvpada4dWM4]

Sword of the Stars II: Lords of Winter offers an evolved version of the original six races from Sword of the Stars and its expansions. The game will reveal the deep, dark secret of the Suul’ka. Boasting an all new graphics engine and incorporating new ship details that allow for new fleet strategies and tactics, Sword of the Stars II is poised to revive the 4X space genre and is scheduled for release in September, 2011.

Rock Hippo Productions Ltd has announced that the free to play online cartoon style third-person action shooter, MicroVolts has officially launched.  Featuring all new content, players can expect non-stop fun and fast-paced action in this much-anticipated release.

“We want to thank all the MicroVolters who participated in the open beta phase of the game and invite them, along with new players,  to experience all the new content and gameplay we have in store for this huge launch ,” said Howard He, President and CEO of Rock Hippo Productions. “We are really stepping up the clan competitions and with the addition of a huge new map, all new weapons, costumes and more, new and returning players alike will all be treated to a great experience in the newly launched MicroVolts world.”                  

Players will be able to create their own clans and select the best members to join special teams. These teams will form the core of each clan, with reserve members fighting for those spots. This extra level of clan management will bring new strategy options to the game, especially for tournament players. More features such as comparing clan stats and clan leaderboards will be coming in the near future.

Celebrating the launch with a new map, The Studio. A huge new map with an incredible amount of levels and hiding spots, The Studio is a map that Zombie Mode enthusiasts will  especially enjoy as it gives plenty of options for evading those pesky zombies. Just don’t get too freaked out by the giant clown hanging out of the toy box.

Also released with the game’s official launch are new weapons, costumes and character set. The new Colonel Crac  costume set includes the C.H.I.P. character and allows players to outfit themselves in the style of the legendary Colonel. In addition, all characters will receive fresh new parts and accessories, available for both Micro Points and Rock Tokens.  But no character is complete without their awesome weapons.  MicroVolters will be introduced to three new ones including the Steel Hammer (melee), DareDev (Gatling Gun), and Mimic (Rocket Launcher).  Players should also be on the lookout for all new advanced versions of different weapon types!

Rock Tokens currency currency can be purchased from the MicroVolts Web Shop and will be used to purchase special customization items and extend gameplay options. Game modes include Free for All, Team Deathmatch, Item Match, Capture the Battery, Elimination, Zombie Mode, and many more featuring various maps designed by toy concept.

Rock Hippo Productions Ltd has announced that MicroVolts, the fast and furious MMO-TPS  is officially going live on June 9th, and since many players have already started their own clans, Rock Hippo decided it’s about time these clans received a home. The new Clan Hall is the place to create, manage, or join a clan and compete to see who’s best of the best in the MicroWorld. A new map is going to be revealed on June 9th, players can also look forward to a new character set, new weapons, and new costumes. A hint of what’s to come can be seen in the “Build Your Legend” trailer.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTuWJg1DcbQ]

The official release of MicroVolts will also mark the grand opening of the new online shop, where players will find exclusive weapons, parts, accessories, items and sets to help make their character truly unique. On Saturday, June 18th the “Free the Hippo” Tournament will take place, and the winners of this Free For All tournament will receive a ton of Micro Points and a Hippo-In-Style character set as prizes. Be sure to check the MicroVolts web site for tournament and in-game event updates.

Hothead Games has made an exclusive Canadian launch of its latest iPhone title Kard Combat, and the developer is asking for your feedback before the game goes to a global release. Available as a free download, Kard Combat is Open Feint enabled, and offers In-App purchases to expand the game’s play as well as a multi-player mode.

According the game’s official site, The Kard is an elite order of wealthy magi. Collectively, they use their immense power to rule over the Forbidden Kingdom from the Black Tower. However, every thousand years there is a shift and they each vie for control of the Tower in a battle of cards and magic.

Players can choose from either a quick duel or a full campaign in Tower Mode. In Tower Mode, each battle takes place on a successive floor of the Black Tower. It is the player’s goal to ascend the Tower floor by floor, ultimately defeating Master Mage Harkus. Only in his defeat can players realize their destiny and determine the fate of the people for the next millennium.

Tower Mode battles often have unique win conditions and special Kards in play that can drastically alter the strategy that players need to employ to defeat their opponent. The deck is made up of over 100 hand-crafted cards and there are four mage-types, each with their own special powers, from which to choose.

According to the game’s site, Kard Combat has a lot of the depth of a collectable card game but without the massive time and money investments that they typically require. At its heart, Kard Combat is a strategy game where players learn how to use the Kards they are dealt at the beginning of a duel most effectively.

It’s much more of a game of skill than chance, though. Players will often be able to choose their reward for winning a battle in Tower Mode, including Kards that will then become part of their deck. While not a traditional CCG, there is collection involved. Each mage has their own set of unique Kards for you to collect as you fight your way up each floor of the Tower. These unique Kards open up very different strategies to the player.

Check out the game’s site where you can learn more about Kard Kombat and look at more of the game’s awesome artwork. Kard Kombat is rated 12+ for the following:

• Infrequent/Mild Mature/Suggestive Themes
• Frequent/Intense Horror/Fear Themes
• Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1.3 or later.

Vancouver’s SIGGRAPH chapter presents The Art of Lighting and Rendering Rio with Lighting Supervisor Jim Gettinger. The final event of the 2010/2011 season, this presentation will take place on June 21st at District 319. Jim Gettinger’s talk will explore the developmental work pursued by Jim and his team taking the listener through many stages of the production process at Blue Sky. Lighting and lighting techniques will be presented from concept art, through pre-visualization, master lighting, and compositing. Jim will also highlight the artistic and technical challenges encountered developing a stylized vision of the world renowned city Rio de Janeiro and believable original characters using Blue Sky’s proprietary photo-realistic ray-tracing software, CGI Studio™. Tickets for this event are now on sale – $15.00 for members and $25.00 for non-members.

Hockey Fight Pro by Ratrod Studios is now available in the Android Marketplace. Compatible with most Android phones and tablets running Android 2.1 and up, Hockey Fight Pro for Android will let you compete against iOS and Mac users using the online cross-platform leaderboard. Hockey Fight Pro is loaded with the following features:

• The only 3D hockey fighting game available on the market.
• Intuitive controls for a realistic hockey fighting experience.
• Follow the interactive tutorial to learn the basics.
• Real-time damage system, see your opponent taking punishment.
• Next gen 3D graphics with HD support.
• Fight against 9 of the world’s most dangerous hockey fighters.
• Execute over 40 unique combos and punch combinations.
• Gain respect from your opponents and upgrade your character attributes.
• View your fighting stats and replay highlights to improve your skills.
• Complete a list of over 14 unique achievements.
• Online global cross-platform leaderboard to become the world’s toughest hockey fighter.
• Share your victory with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.
• Complete the game to unlock a special hardcore mode.
• Support for multiple profiles and extensive game options to adjust the game to your preferences.

Vancouver’s Acrylic Apps has launched its news app to the Mac Store. Pulp for Mac takes your favorite news feeds and presents them in a reader-friendly format, making it easy for users to quickly scan through headlines, previews, and photos as if you had your own newspaper right on your desktop. Pulp includes such features as built-in Google search, customizable categories and layout, plus rich descriptors for visual media. You can also put articles on your virtual shelf to read later or easily share them on your Twitter or Facebook feeds. Another great feature is Pulp Sync, a free, cloud-based service that keeps all of your pages, feeds, read articles, and other settings in sync on all of your Macs and iPads, over the air, completely seamlessly. Every change you make is pushed instantly to your iPad, so you never have to go hunting for a refresh button.

Rhino.ca is a proud partner of the Vancouver Canucks, and like the rest of Vancouver hockey fans, is confident this is the season we bring home the Cup. On the heels of the Vancouver Canucks victory over the San Jose Sharks, Rhino.ca has launched the final round of the Rhino Cup Run 2011 hockey pool and is gearing up for the Stanley Cup Finals.

For the last time during these NHL playoffs, hockey fans can pit themselves against each other for leaderboard supremacy in this free, Vancouver Canucks themed, interactive hockey pool. Contestants enter their picks for game scores and individual player stats in categories like most goals, assists, and penalty minutes, and can log-in anytime to see where they stack up amongst the competition.

“We’re die-hard Vancouver Canucks fans and are excited to have partnered with the Canucks in their 40th year during this cup run. It seems like a dream,” said Doug Morneau, RHINO.ca’s Chief Rhino. “Seventeen years since our last trip to the finals and like the rest of this town, we can’t get enough playoff hockey.”

The Vancouver Canucks take on the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals beginning Wednesday, June 1st and there is undeniable playoff fever around RHINO.ca headquarters. “We love how energized this city is right now and Rhino Cup Run in something we could do to help Canucks fans participate and get even more psyched for the finals,” added Morneau.

For those who don’t already have the original game and all of the DLC, 505 Games and developer Behaviour Interactive announced today that Naughty Bear Gold is available now for Xbox 360® and the PlayStation®3. Naughty Bear Gold combines the original game in all its glory, along with all the downloadable content in one adorably brutal package.

Naughty Bear Gold will include the original Naughty Bear game, which followed the titular “hero” as he cut his way through the cuddly denizens of Perfection Island, getting his bloody revenge for the ways in which they wronged him (namely, failing to invite him to a birthday party). Additionally, Naughty Bear Gold will feature the three downloadable content packs with episodes 8 through 10, which sees Naughty through a host of new misadventures against such foes as pirates, comic book superheroes, and of course vampire bears and zombears.

The added DLC packs ($25 value) double the content of the original game, adding in copious amounts of mayhem, improved multiplayer, and more weapons, costumes, and comic kills than ever.

“Now that we have the opportunity to present Naughty’s full story to fans of the franchise is definitely a great thing for us,” said Ian Howe, President, 505 Games North America. “We’re very proud of how all the extra content expanded the Naughty Bear universe, and we can’t wait for gamers to have access to all things Naughty in one slick package.”

Ratrod Studio Inc. is proudly announcing their latest video game title “Hockey Fight Pro”. The game is presented in collaboration with hockeyfights.com the world’s largest hockey fight collection and community. This action packed title is now available worldwide for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. An Android and Mac OS version is also set to launch shortly.

Drop the gloves and test your skills in this unique 3D hockey fighting game. The game is rough and the stakes are high. Fueled by pride or desperation, when it’s game time, nothing else matters. Once the players are ready to engage, they are bound for an altercation.

Hockey Fight Pro is the only hockey fighting game available on the AppStore. Developed by Ratrod Studio Inc. this new title is now available worldwide on the AppStore for only 99 cents.

Hockey Fight Pro features stunning 3D graphics using the multi-touch capabilities of your device to simulate an authentic hockey fighting experience. Using an intuitive control system, fight your opponents on the ice by executing punch combinations and over 40 unique combos to master. The game includes universal high definition support for regular, retina and iPad resolutions.

Play often to improve your career stats and submit your records to a global cross-platform leaderboard and become one of the world’s toughest hockey fighters. The top 100 positions are also displayed on the leaderboard at the official Hockey Fight Pro game website.

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

Follow an interactive tutorial to learn the basics. Users can enter a tournament or use the quick fight mode to battle against 9 of the world’s most dangerous hockey fighters.

The game also includes a multiplayer mode where you can challenge a friend using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Post your results on Facebook and Twitter to claim your fame and expose your achievements. View your fighting stats and replay highlights to improve your skills.

Defeat opponents or complete over 14 unique achievements to gain additional respect points. Users are able to customize and fully upgrade their character’s attributes to improve their skills. Complete the game to unlock a special “hardcore” mode. So whether you are a casual or advanced gamer, you will be able to enjoy hours of challenging opponents to suit your skill set. The game soundtrack features music by Avery Watts album “The Takeover EP”.

Ratrod Studio recently announced a new publishing deal with mobile giant and online game operator “The9” which will be distributing a localized version of their Ratrod’s Android titles in China. Ratrod Studio will also be publishing Android titles with “Cyberhull LLC” which already started the distribution of Drift Mania Championship on all major US mobile carriers store front including Verizon, T-Mobile, H3G and Orange.

Several projects are in development including a long-awaited sequel to their popular Drift Mania Championship title which received over 5 million downloads across all platforms. Information on Ratrod Studio Inc.’s upcoming line of titles will be announced shortly.