"Big Beats in Little China" are worth every damn cent!

This album sure came as a big (but pleasant) surprise to me. I mean, it came out of nowhere. And it´s the fu**ing bomb! Why? Because the beats are sick as hell. Yes, i´m of course talking about Phorsus epic new album "Big Beats in Little China". Which just happens to be inspired by the Kurt Russel and John Carpenter cult movie "Big trouble in little china" (released back in 1986).

And that´s a movie that i will remember for the rest of my life. Because i have always liked that movie. So trust me on this folks. You do NOT wanna miss out on Phorsus "Big Beats in Little China" album!

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

Dragons and Titans keeps on getting better and better over time.

Wyrmbyte (the makers of Dragons and Titans) has just announced that they have released a handful of Improvements for their F2P MOBA title "Dragons and Titans". But that´s not all. Because Wyrmbyte have also unleashed the "Titan´s Hand".

Which offers new ingame items and other new features  Dragons and Titans. You will find all the information and details about the updates in the press release down below.

Press release:
"Indie developer, Wyrmbyte, today announced several new updates for Dragons and Titans, a free-to-play (F2P) Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game currently available on Steam and on Facebook. The updates include a new weapon and dragon as well as three improved game modes and the release of a brand new story driven Act.

Further improvements to minimize queue times have been implemented. Players can always count on battling with the dragon and weapon of their choice, with matches now allowing duplicate dragons and weapons. Additionally, match rewards have increased from three crystals per minute to four, translating to an average of 30% more rewards per individual match, which gamers can spend in-game to improve weapons, dragons and overall play experience.

In addition to all of these improvements, Wyrmbyte has also released the much-anticipated Act 4: The Titan’s Hand which reveals another story arc that gamers can play solo to unravel the deeper lore behind Dragons and Titans. While the Titan's Pact ensured that neither Astaroth nor Hyperion could rule indefinitely, mortals always chose the victor, however a prophecy spoke of a mortal with the power to undo the pact: the Titan’s Hand. Make haste to the city of Tal'il to uncover the truth! Players who complete the act will be awarded with the Autodrake dragon.

Along with the latest lore, players can prepare for epic battle with the newly released dragon, Netherdrake, whose skills include Nether Burst, where the Netherdrake spews forth bolts of pure Nether energy that sap an enemy’s health and mana, and Rift Storm, which allows the Netherdrake to teleport a short distance forward to emerge from a rift in the Nether that bleeds away enemy health.

Also newly released is the weapon, Skyripper: The Blade That Should Not Be. Skyripper’s special abilities include Nether Strike, in which a large explosion of pure Nether energy is released, damaging all in a nearby radius and leaving a permanent mana drain on anything struck by the force, and Sky Rip, which opens a gate to the Nether, allowing Nether Imps to enter the world to feed. The gate remains open until destroyed. Skyripper is not about strength – the weapon itself does not deal much damage, so partner it up with a high DPS dragon for maximum attack power."

About Dragons and Titans:
"Dragons and Titans executes on all the promises of a MOBA but distinguishes itself with 15 minute match times and unique RPG elements. In the game, your champions are Dragons and a variety of game modes gives you the power on how to play. Show true courage and skill to become a Dragon Lord as you embark on your quest to free your Titan from captivity. 

Select from over 30 unique dragons and 30 legendary weapons, each with unique abilities and progression levels. Take your battle to the next level by upgrading your dragons and forging your weapons. Free your Titan in fierce 5v5 PvP battle across 3 different map types or delve deeper into the story in ‘Adventure Mode’, traveling across different regions of the Lands Below, unlocking exclusive Dragons as you complete each set of missions. Gain favor with the Titans and climb the PvP leaderboards to prove your true worth as the ultimate Dragon Lord!"

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground 

Marvel Heroes 2015 are now available for both PC and MAC users.

2014 have been a really great year for the Marvel fans so far. And the folks at Gazillion will try to keep it that way. That´s also why they just recently announced the Marvel Heroes 2015 "End of Anniversary" event. And you can read all about it down below ;)

Press release:
"We’re pleased to announce the launch of our Epic Twelve - End of Anniversary event for Marvel Heroes 2015.

Similar in concept to the crazy Big Ten event we ran just two months ago, today's launch brings back fan favorite in-game specials alongside new features. For complete information on our Epic Twelve event, please click here: http://marvelheroes.com/"

Here’s the list of events that make up the Epic Twelve celebration this weekend:
- Return of the Reaper - Every few hours, a different game mode will have increased loot, rotating between Terminals, Midtown, and X-Defense and Holo-Sim.
- Legendary BOGO - BOGO for heroes and costumes are back along with a 15% bonus G sale.
- Even More Cowbell - Log in on Saturday, 6/28 for a Cosmic Cow King Crate. Loot for the Bovineheim and Confidential Bovine Sector will also be increased!
- Devs with Benefits - Play with the devs, ask them questions & receive codes for mystery gifts.
- Runes Reloaded - Drop rates for the rarest of runes have been increased as well as sale values.
- World Cup Fever - Collect flags from the various World Cup countries for a special item.
- Cosmic Chaos - Cosmic Doop spawn rate has been increased and will drop random a Cosmic Medallion and  Cosmic Ring. Cosmic Penta Boosts also make a comeback in the store.
- Summer BBQ - Collect summer BBQ drops including hot dogs and Omega Red Ketchup.
- Alpha Omega - Earn more Omega Orbs as rewards for Shared Quests are tripled and are 10% easier to acquire. Log in each day to receive an extra Omega Orb.
- Teamwork 101 - Team Insignias drop rates will be increased, Team-Up Heroes will deal increased damage and all Team-Up Heroes prices will be 20% off! Log in each day and receive an Epic S.H.I.E.L.D. Team-Up gear.
- Accidents Happen - Server side rarity boost will have a few unexpected increases at random times through each day, lasting anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes.
- Old School - Hero Tokens for any hero have a small chance of dropping across the game.

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

Yes, there are plenty of female Gamer pros in the world. Espacialy in Asia.

There are a lot of places to find a Hot Gamer Girlfriend. The problem is a lot of guys don’t really know how to approach them to begin with. Self-confidence plays a major role in getting a girl to speak to you, even if it’s simply saying “Hi.” Without confidence they’ll never speak to you, or even give you the time of day. Women can smell fear like fine cologne, or even a nice barbecue on the fourth of July. It clings to your body, and mannerisms as if it were clothing.

Even if you have never spoken to a girl, you can become a major player in the game of life, just by following these 10 steps, and adding your own spin onto the techniques. Before we get to the list let’s go over general tips, and best practices for talking to girls, shall we?

General tips/ Best practices:

Don’t be a sideline player:
If you play Call of Duty, or World of Warcraft, you know that sitting on the sidelines you can’t yield very good results. You have to be active in the conversation, and the experience with her. The worst thing you can do is make a girl feel like she’s the one doing all the work, in the conversation, and the relationship. This will end in disaster quickly, and unfortunately it does happen very often.

Once you get her number STOP TALKING:
We have this problem a lot, we keep talking until the girl loses interest. More often than not they’ll usually just not respond once we contact them with a text or a call. If she gives you her number, stop talking, and find a way to keep her eager to have you contact her.

Change the flow of the conversation, but stay on course with what you were talking about initially. If you’re somewhere that you can’t sit and talk, let her know you’ll get in touch soon, and wait until after 7pm to call, or text. Why after 7pm? Because at that time she’ll be comfortably at home, and you won’t have to worry about her saying things like:

“Oh I’m out with family,” or “I’ll, I’m shopping right now.” It increases your chances to find out more about her, and gives her a happier feeling that you wanted to call and say goodnight to her. Women love knowing you want your voice to be the last thing they hear at night, or a good morning text. You’ll start getting Emoji messages in no time flat guys.

Don’t be an Otaku all the time:
Alright so the girl is a gamer and she’s hot right? But that doesn’t mean she always wants to be surrounded by it at all times, or even when you’re spending time together. Put the controller, or mouse down sometimes. So having said that, incorporate other things into what you like to do, like letting her choose an activity, after you go comic shopping, or traveling to the craft store for your Comic-Con cosplay outfit.

Just remember, she’ll be the best game you’ve ever played or conquered, once you learn to push start.

Ok now onto the list, for 10. Best places to find a Hot Gamer Girlfriend.


That´s the spirit!

10. Disneyland:
This one is a given, since everyone knows the Magical Kingdom + Mickey Mouse = Hot girls. I know it sounds strange, but besides the family setting, you will find a lot of very nice girls here you can talk to, especially because they will be in the same element that you are comfortable with.

Being in a family element can make things seem a little strange, especially because dad will be there, but you can pull off big surprises by being a fresh face in Anaheim CA, when you meet her. Whether it’s buying her a smoked turkey leg, or going to the Mad Hatter’s shop for the matching Mickey Mouse ears, she’ll love it.

She won’t want the magic to end, so she’ll definitely give you a sign that she’s interested by giving her number, or social media info. The best way to finish the night off after you get her number earlier in the day is to ask where you should meet her to say good night.

If she says she’s not staying till dark, simply respond with: “So we can’t watch the fireworks together?” Trust me, she wants to watch the fireworks or better yet Fantasia with you, and will somehow convince her family, or friends to stay till after 10pm just for you. Just make sure you buy her cotton candy or popcorn and grab a good spot for the grand finale, and watch the sparks fly.

9. League of Legends, and World of Warcraft.
League of Legends and many other great MMORPG’s like Dota 2, or World of Warcraft offer a diverse selection of girls. Joining a clan, or going PVP will help to meet a lot of single girls, and even set you up with new Guild Members. Mila Kunis, Cameron Diaz, and Kate Beckinsale play World of Warcraft, and kick major ass doing it. The unfortunate side is that they usually play without their microphones on due to people knowing who they are, and having fanboys stalk them.

However with the booming popularity of World of Warcraft and League of Legends, finding a local tournament, and meeting girls there isn’t that hard. Trying to deal with them being better than you at PVP is though. You can get access to their contact info pretty easily once you link up for a local game, and play a while. What’s the best part? Now that you can go to college on a scholarship to play League of Legends it gives you a higher chance to find a girl in the crowd at a school tournament.

8. Hot Topic.
Surprisingly enough, finding a hot girl at a Hot Topic isn’t that uncommon. Simple enough, you’ll find them searching for fishnet stockings, or punk rock CD’s. Even anime memorabilia can be found at Hot Topic, and usually weekends are when you want to frequent the shop. Gothic Lolita girls are just nerdy gamer girls dressed in black.

The tradeoff for Hot Topic, is that you’ll find yourself grabbing a graphic art T-shirt while mingling for a hot girl to talk to. Usually they’re not as scary to approach as you think, the tattoo sleeve she has, is a extension of her personality, and you’ll be surprised to listen to the stories behind their origins.

7. Community College:
As bad as this may sound it’s completely true. I dated a fan girl who went to college to learn Japanese thinking she could move there and be accepted, and it didn’t work out very well for her. Many fan girls often take language courses at local community colleges, because it’s cost effective, and they dream of going to the country of origin; most often Japan.

Pursuing a career in voice acting is usually the goal of young fan girls, so they take language courses to try to study abroad, and land a job being a voice actor. What you get out of the deal is a great girl who can make you a Bento box, and say amusing things in Japanese. If you’re lucky you may even get her to make you a paper crane, and the occasional cosplay modeling session before you go to the local convention.

6. Movie theatres:
You may not know it, but where there is a mall, there’s a food court, and Movie theatres. It doesn’t always matter what movie you go to see, but of course there are the occasional one’s you want to watch for to ensure ladies will be present.

Kids movies:
Remember Frozen? Of course you do, that catchy little song “Let it go,” not only captured the hearts of millions of little princesses, it made the sleeper hit blow up overnight. We can also thank Maleficent for doing the same. One of the best things about Disney movies is that they always guarantee that an older sister will be with the younger one, sometimes even a mom. Grab a young relative or a grandparent and get on to the flick.

Scary movies:
Insidious 2 and Oculus were two of the scariest movies to grace the silver screen in the last 3 years. I’d only say that the Conjuring was scarier than Oculus only because of the plot twists. Either way, going to a scary movie with no expectation of finding a single girl, will reap great results, in a lot of surprising ways.

5. Deviant art
This website usually connects people looking for an artist, or even, a graphic designer to be hired. You wouldn’t really expect to find people dating on the site at all, and yet they do. The best thing is, you can follow their posts, in a journalistic fashion, and even send them messages to find out more about them. You can check out their websites, and social media profiles just to see what they’re all about.

Girls usually occupy a vast majority of the site, and won’t turn down talking to you if you have something relevant to speak on. The good thing is that their profile will tell you what they’re into, and can definitely give you the 1-Up you need to introduce yourself. The greatest part is, if you’re in the market for a girlfriend, and a business partner you’ve found your home base of operations.

4. Renaissance Faire/ L.A.R.P events
This is a goldmine for finding girls who definitely want to see your creative side. Renaissance Faire and L.A.R.P (Live action role playing) events is the best spot to find girls who are brainy, and artistic. Out of about every 10 girls who come 8 of them made their own costume, or are aspiring actresses. It’s pretty awesome to take in the scenery, and get to battle it out with a Valkyrie warrior who wants to steal your mead.

The plus side is that the ladies who go are usually local, and are looking to have a great time, and enjoy a lot of good food and classical music. You can chat any of them up with no problem usually, simply by complimenting them on their choice of garb, and inquiring about how to get your own made. Bingo, you have an opening to ask for her number, or better yet spend the rest of the faire together talking, and learning about each other.

3. Comic Book stores.
While this is an obvious given, a lot of guys don’t actually know how often women come in here to shop for themselves. The great thing about them coming in is you’ll know when you see a fresh face, depending upon how often you frequent the location. You will have pretty stiff competition depending upon what her selection yields when she comes up to the register. So for this reason, it may pay off to be pretty tight with the cashier, or shop owner to see what she chose.

I know what you’re thinking “That’s stalking, and weird.” I’ll be the first one to say it; don’t hunters do the same thing when they’re trying to find a deer? What about the FBI when you download illegal songs? They all do their homework, so that they are better prepared for the ensuing battle. In your case it just happens to be a battle of hearts, and minds.

You can also use the opportunity to introduce your expertise upon comics, and rare facts she may not know about. For instance, Spider-Man fans would be surprised to know in the original comic Gwen Stacy was Peter Parker’s love BEFORE Mary Jane even came into the picture. And Peter Parkers daughter May “Mayday” Parker became Spider-Girl, and later the Scarlet Spider, but her canon was reset when he made a deal with the devil to resurrect his Aunt May Parker erasing her from existence.

Girls love tiny tidbits of information like this, especially because they fall in love with the plot, and theme of the comic more than we do. As men generally speaking we go for the action, silliness, and the story. Remember when Soul Eater was the new hottest thing? Of course you do. But with Manga, Anime, and even Comics resetting themselves for newer generations, many women are being left behind, due to the demographic shifting back towards men. However with Sailor Moon being rebooted soon this could balance things back out.

2. Conventions and Expo’s
Yeah I know what you’re thinking how is this number 2? The reason is as ever clear as I have listed 3-10. While conventions do serve as a great playing field to score a touchdown with a lot of hot girls, and maybe a few working at the booths, (Not booth babes, they’ll never talk back, they’re high class hoe’s, and not worth the time) or the convention floor.

The benefit of getting into the convention or even going to the free parties some of the developers throw is that you can always find a girl or two lingering, not talking to anyone. 9 times out of 10 they don’t want to talk to anyone, but you can always use your charm to break them out of their shells. The reason girls dress up for cosplay (beside the fact they love the character) is because they are insecure with their own personality.

It’s true, (again reaching from personal experience) they feel empowered, and fully in control when they dress as Rosalina from Super Mario Bros. or Bayonetta. If you decide to dress up, or are going in with a media pass, grab one and ask her if she wants to go behind the scenes to see the media side.

As strange as it sounds, this creates a first date scenario, which puts you at the advantage, because you’re in control of the situation. It creates a lightning fast bond with her that won’t be severed so easily, and you can always connect better later as you travel throughout the convention. Now this next part is essential remember these steps:

Be interested:
Don’t just listen passively actually remember pertinent facts so you can recall them later, if she asks you something. I’ll be honest sometimes the conversation can go on a tangent you don’t want to go into, but you can control the direction of the conversation by interjecting when it becomes drawn out.

Offer a change of scenery:
If she came with friends there’s no way in hell she’s going to abandon them for you. However if she’s from out of town you can ask if she wants to grab something to eat after the convention closes for the day. It’ll give you a chance to see how nice she cleans up, and how well you can dress to compliment her. Of course she may just do the T-shirt and jeans route, and leave you looking stupid for dressing up. Either way try to make it a great first impression, take her to a nice place and speak more.

Seal the deal:
You’re only going to get one shot meeting a girl at a convention, and at all costs you have to hit your target if you want her to be yours. Cheesiness will help you out a lot; especially if you quote anime’s just to get laughs. I don’t know why exactly, but it does work quite well. If you match this with her curiosity for exploration, you will find yourself with a very open book worth reading. So read it, remember she’s just as nervous as you are, if not more, but be brave because a closed mouth won’t get fed guys.

1. Electronics stores:
Believe it or not, this is the number one spot to find single, hot nerdy girls. Why? Because whether they’re looking for the new Boxset of Bleach, Outlaw Star, or the HD version of Kingdom Hearts 1.5 remix, they’re here. It doesn’t matter if it’s Gamestop (I used to work here) , or Best Buy, I know for a fact that they’re always there, and if you know when to drop in you’ll find them, and can chat it up with them depending on  why they’re there.

Usually girls go to electronics stores simply to find a game or a gift for a male relative, or friend. The benefit if you work there, or frequently stop in, is that you can don the Superman cape and swoop in to save the day, and be her hero. It may not seem like much since you only have a 2-3 minute window to steer the conversation in the direction you need it to be in, but you can definitely boost your confidence by doing the following:

Balls of Steel:
Duke Nukem was fearless, and you should be too. If you’re scared to step up to the plate, you have to remember someone else will, and they’ll smash the homerun and win the ball game. Don’t stress the approach let it be casual, and observe everything you before you make a move.

Get or Give something:
If she uses you to consult for the item as a stranger, simply ask “Well who’s it for?” This lets you know if she’s taken or not, if she answers cousin, or relative, ask: “Well what does your boyfriend play?” Even though it sounds like you’re making conversation to her, she’s giving you all the information you need to make your next move. If she gives you all the green lights, introduce your influence to her: “Can I be honest with you?” “I highly recommend…”and the classic “I’ll wear the Superman cape for you.”

Women love honesty, it’s what makes them trust, and care completely about anything anyone says. If you look her in the eye and ask that question, she’s going to want to know. By highly recommending something, she’ll listen to your suggestion, since she couldn’t really draw a conclusion herself. Not saying she couldn’t, she just needed another opinion, and “Highly recommending something,” she’ll be more inclined to take your suggestion.

Ok I’ll be honest the “Superman cape” line is just to break any tension that may have been created. She’ll laugh, since it’ll make her think of a strong guy (You) swooping in to save the day (Hers). The best thing to do is laugh lightly, don’t giggle or snicker, since she’ll think you were poking fun at her. So now she’s looking at you with “That look,” take over and walk with her to the register, or around the store.

After she’s getting ready to leave (whether you work there or not) give her a card, or paper with your number, and tell her if she has any questions or curiosities call or text you anytime. Bingo, she’ll contact you, or search your social media to find you.

Well that’s the list, aside from a few other places that don’t have true impact due to the environment, it’s pretty accurate. In time you’ll find your own way to win a girls heart, but remember it begins and ends with two things: Self-confidence, and 3 deep breaths.


Let us know what you thought in the comments below!

/Kenay Peterson
The Gaming Ground

 
Star Conflict offers a lot of intense space action.

I don´t know if it would be a good way to describe StarGem Inc. and Gaijin Entertainment’s F2P MMO action game "Star Conflict", as the space/sandbox version of "World of tanks". But that was the first thing that came to my mind when i watched the "Invasion" trailer.

And if you liked that trailer. Then i´ve got some more good news for you. Because Star Conflict has just Introduced the Invasion mode, and the sandbox exploration abilities for the players in the closed beta. So that means that all those features should soon be available for everyone else.

You can however still play Star Conflict as of today!

Press release:
"StarGem Inc. and Gaijin Entertainment’s epic free-to-play MMO action game, Star Conflict, gets an exciting update with the new “Invasion Mode”, which is in Closed Beta until the end of summer. In order to access this new mode, Star Conflict players will need to earn one of the following achievements: Strikeforce Prometheus or Universe Conqueror.

Invasion mode has an underlying story in which an alien race disappeared into another dimension of space and time, now they have found a way back but this time they are heading up an invasion. Star Conflict players will be able to team up in parties of four to explore the new ‘Open Space’ area and combine forces as they take on new quests and engage in PvP and PvE battles. These new activities provide new loot, which can also be used to craft unique armament options and protection for their spaceships.

“The inclusion of Invasion Mode into the virtual world of Star Conflict provides a unique and unpredictable game dynamic that introduces more variables to the player’s space combat experience. Not only do players have to worry about PVP attacks in the free to explore environment but alien ships can suddenly appear close to player’s own ship without warning, forcing them to make the lightning quick decision to flee or fight” Said Stanislav Skorb, Director, Star Gem Inc.

Skillful Star Conflict Players can access the new invasion mode if they have already acquired the Universe Conqueror or Strikeforce Prometheus achievements. Those players who have just joined the game have a full summer to gain the 1000 points required in order to get the Universe Conqueror achievement. Alternatively players looking for quick access can also obtain the Strikeforce Prometheus achievement by purchasing 6000 Galactic Standards separately or in different packs.

Obtaining the Strikeforce Prometheus achievement will be much easier over the next few days. In honor of the launch of “Invasion Mode”, Star Conflict packs and ingame currency will be discounted up to 75% through its online shop (http://star-conflict.com/en/store/) and Steam until the end of the month."

About Star Conflict:
"Developed by Star Gem Inc, Star Conflict is an action-packed, massively multiplayer space simulation game that puts players in the roles of elite pilots engaging in a widespread interplanetary skirmish.

The game includes a wide variety of battleships, from light and fast interceptors to powerful fighters and well-defended frigates. Players can choose to go it alone or team up with friends to form powerful alliances. The combination of strategic and skill based gameplay in Star Conflict allows players to develop their abilities and establish specialized skills."

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

 
Clandestine will be released sometime this year for PC.

Things are going rather well for the Danish indie game studio Logic Artists. Because their third-person stealth game "Clandestine", have now reached the alpha stage. And just recently Logic Artists released a new developer blog video (V-log) as well.

So, check it out people! ;)

Press release:
"Copenhagen, Denmark -- June 26, 2014 -- Danish indie developer Logic Artists today announced that Clandestine is now in alpha for PC. Set during the mid-1990’s, Clandestine is a globetrotting spy fantasy with asymmetrical cooperative gameplay mechanics and a deep, dark storyline.

With the alpha announcement, Logic Artists has also revealed new details about the two player roles in Clandestine: The Spy and The Hacker. Using familiar 3rd-person stealth game mechanics such as concealed weapons, (including grenades and handguns), a stealth cover system, brutal lethal as well as non-lethal takedowns and cool gadgets, the Spy must covertly enter corporate headquarters, hideouts and safe houses across two continents.

Meanwhile, the Hacker utilizes a 2D computer interface, reminiscent of the mid-1990’s, to run support for the Spy on the ground by controlling and disabling security cameras, locking and unlocking digitally controlled doors and systems, blinding enemies by synchronously turning on and off all lights in an area, bribing enemies and non-player characters (NPCs) and coordinating Dead Drops of Health and Ammo for the Spy.

“The symbiotic relationship between the Spy and the Hacker forms the backbone of Clandestine’s gameplay mechanics, as to achieve success players must work together and communicate to overcome obstacles and escape dangerous situations”, said Jonas Wæver, Lead Designer for Logic Artists. “Now that we have reached the alpha milestone we are really ironing out the co-op features of Clandestine to make sure that whether gamers prefer to play as Hacker or Spy, each role is equally as fun, interesting and satisfying”.

About Clandestine
"The year is 1996, five years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a string of accidents and murders have gone unnoticed by the public, but have put the world of espionage on high alert. Former Cold War operatives, believing their cover intact, are being assassinated around the globe. Soviet and NATO spies are being targeted indiscriminately, causing turmoil and suspicion on all sides."

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

Epic game, epic soundtrack. So, buy them both asap!

What can i say really. Jake Kaufman has done it again! I´ve been listning to the Shovel Knight soundtrack all morning long today. And i freaking love it! It actually reminded me a lot about the Shining Force series for some reason.

Anyhow, i bought the Shovel Knight OST (i paid 10 bucks for it) via bandcamp just now. And i would recommend you guys to buy it as well. Because you get 48 epic tracks at any price you want! (it´s a "name your price" kind of deal).

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

Fallout 2 + Planescape Torment + Dieselpunk = InSomnia! 

I was one of many hardcore Fallout fans that waited eagerly for Fallout Online (Project v13, a Interplay production) to be released. But we all know what happened with that game (don´t we now?). Well, i haven't been that much interested in any other RPG games since then. 

But today we got contacted by the nice folks at Mono Studios. Because they just happen to be working on a really neat dieselpunk RPG game named "InSomnia". And i just watched the Kickstarter video for InSomnia, and i have to say that InSomnia looks really promising.

I also like the fact that InSomnia has been inspired by WW1, WW2, Fallout 2 and Planescape Torment. I mean, that´s one hell of a mix! So i really hope that InSomnia will be able to collect those $70,000 via Kickstarter. Because then we got both InSomnia and Wasteland 2 to look forward to!

Press release:
"SAMARA, Russia – June 25, 2014 – InSomnia—the post-apocalyptic RPG that enthralled gamers with its Art Deco- inspired setting—has returned to Kickstarter with tons of gameplay footage, new reward tiers, and an in-engine tech demo. After only two days, the game has earned $12,700 toward Studio MONO’s goal of $70,000.

InSomnia introduces players to a retro-futuristic space station (“The Ark”) on its 400-year journey in search of a new home. Several centuries earlier, war-torn Noman survivors boarded the Ark to flee their planet and escape the conflict between the Republic of Noma and the SORG Regime. Most of InSomnia takes place inside the gargantuan, half-deserted vessel—which is slowly making its way toward the elusive Evacuation Point. If the Ark fails to reach the Evacuation Point, billions of Nomans will have died in vain.

InSomnia’s real-time combat gameplay is realistic and fast-paced—and mastering it largely depends on understanding how to manage stamina, weight loads, weapons, and armor. For example, player characters will tire without enough stamina—thus lowering combat efficiency.

Likewise, much depends on equipment choices because inventory capacity is realistically limited to a few equipment slots and pockets per character. Each individual ammo pack has its own weight rating, and heavy machine guns are actually heavy! It’s up to the player to choose between inhabiting a slow, hulking warrior with the ability to throw one or two heavy blows— or going for a nimble character who relies on speed in order to come out ahead in combat.

“InSomnia drops players into a dark, damp space station where competing factions battle for supremacy using any weapon or tactic they see fit,” says Anatoliy Guyduk, lead developer at Studio MONO. “We self-funded development and invested more than two years of our lives into InSomnia. Hopefully, what we have achieved so far will prove to potential backers that this is the real deal–and that InSomnia deserves their support on Kickstarter!”

InSomnia is expected to be completed by Q4 2015 and will be released on PC, Mac, and Linux."

Key features:
- Play it your way: Backers will receive both DRM-free and Steam versions of the game.
- Go it alone or assemble a crew: Pick between being a lone wolf in single-player mode or going for co-op with friends and family.
- Fight in real time: Develop your character through tactical real-time combat—combining hundreds of skills and abilities.
- Catch the drift: InSomnia will support French, German, English, Spanish, Polish, and Russian.
- Prove your worth: Survive starvation, extreme weather, and serious injuries.
- Free your mind: Break free from leveling systems, character classes, and tedious grind.
- Embrace the unpredictable: Expect the unexpected with randomly-generated events and missions that
keep things interesting.
- Experience the next chapter: Immerse yourself in rich storylines that are updated regularly.
- InSomnia will ship with 15-20 hours of main storyline plus 20-30 hours of side quests (first season/year).
- More than 20 free chapters are planned after release, with 3-6 hours of gameplay each.
- Solve the puzzle: Embark on non-linear quests and missions with several possible solutions.

About Studio MONO:
Studio MONO was founded in Samara, Russia in 2011 by a group of artists, technologists, and enthusiasts united by their dream project -- InSomnia. With a development team comprised of individuals from all over the world -- including Malaysia, the U.S., Russia, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Ukraine. 

Studio MONO is a talented group of professionals who have been active in the world of game design for many years. For more information on Studio MONO and InSomnia, please visit http://www.insomnia-project.com/ and the project’s Kickstarter page at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1892480689/insomnia-an-rpg-set-in-a-brutal-dieselpunk-univers

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

From Finland with a lot of Gamer love.

Finland has been a well known Gaming nation for many years now (Max Payne, Alan Wake, Angry Birds). But due the fact that more and more Finnish game studios pop up like mushrooms in the ground all over Finland. That also creates a wide range of different games.

And that of course helps Finland to reach out to more and more people (Gamers) all over the world. And Grand Cru´s puzzle/social buildning iOS game "Supernauts", seems to be yet another smash hit from Finland.

But there´s more good news folks. Because Supernauts was released yesterday on the App store. And it´s all free-to-play. So, game on people! 

Press release:
"Helsinki, Finland – June 25th, 2014 – Supernauts, the brand new social building game is now globally available to download for free on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. In the game, the polar ice caps have melted and it is up to the players as Supernauts to rescue people from the flood and build a new world in space, block by block. Supernauts is crafted by Grand Cru, a company twice named by Wired Magazine as one of the hottest start-up companies in Europe.

“Grand Cru is a game studio focused on developing groundbreaking mobile games of the finest quality and we’re aiming to revolutionize social gaming with Supernauts,” said Markus Pasula, CEO of Grand Cru. “Created for a broad audience, the game is truly social and provides players with multiple ways to share their creations and experiences. We want to take real-time social interactions in mobile gaming in to another level.

Playing the role of a Supernaut, your mission is to rescue stranded citizens from flooded Earth and build a new world for them in space. The casual, touch screen native game offers the players a truly social 3D gameplay experience, providing them with a wide array of building blocks and materials to create everything they can imagine. In addition to the world-building element, Supernauts features ongoing, themed contests where players from all over the world compete together in teams to rebuild Earth.

“We have spent over two years perfecting the gameplay experience for the iPad, and we are certain that with our intuitive user interface everyone will be able to join the fun of creating awesome worlds in 3D,” Pasula explains."

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

Experience pool like you´ve never experienced it before!

Alright, i´m going to be really honest now. I´m not a great pool player. At least not now days. But back in high school i was pretty good. Anyhow, i might get a new chance to become really good at pool again. Because Voofoo Studios are working really hard on their Pool game "Pure Pool" (for PS4, Xbox One and PC).

And Pure Pool received some really good feedback when Ripstone (the publisher of Pure Pool) showed of the game at E3 some weeks ago. So "hopefully" Pure Pool will get released asap! But in the meanwhile, feel free to checkout the new trailer!

Press release
"Many pool simulators have claimed to have cracked the game on console in the past, but VooFoo Studios' Pure Pool offers fans the greatest reason of all time to pick up a virtual cue – it’s the next best thing to real life pool. Publisher Ripstone exhibited the game earlier this month at E3, and everyone who got to experience it in action felt the effects first hand.

Now the rest of the world can see exactly what was turning heads in LA as a new video is released...
http://buff.ly/1yO03jJ.

Watch and share the new trailer on Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuUqKEoO78w&feature=youtu.be

VooFoo Studios has a growing reputation for superior game simulations with stunning hyper real visuals, from Hustle Kings to Pure Chess, and their latest opus raises the bar higher than ever. Launching on PC via Steam,  Playstation®4 and Xbox One Pure Pool offers immediately accessible gameplay with high quality visuals and flawless physics, but there's so much more to it than that.

Join The Cue
Pure Pool is a socially connected game through and through and will immerse you in a bustling virtual pool hall packed with online players, all just itching to get racked up and take you on! Be it in a one-off head- to-head or as part of one of many global online leagues.

However, the unique Pure DNA profiling feature even gives solo gameplay a social dimension, allowing you to practice your shots against friends in their absence by playing an AI interpretation based on their playing styles. Players will even be able to take on the developers, simply by downloading their DNA profiles – which will be free at launch.

Pure Pool will be available to download soon, but for now just feast your eyes upon what lies in store... and prepare for the most authentic pool experience from the comfort of your couch!"

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

The Banner Saga will soon be available for mobile as well.

Things are going really well for Stoic studios and their RPG/strategy game "The Banner Saga". Because not only has the game done really well to PC and MAC (reviews, feedback and so on). There´s also a mobile version in the making (which will be released this summer).

And to make things even better. Stoic studio´s just fulfilled their promise about a multilingual version of The Banner Saga. So a big congrats to Stoic and Versus Evil!

Press release:
"(Austin, TX) June 26, 2014 -- Independent developer Stoic, in partnership with indie publisher Versus Evil, today announced that The Banner Saga has now been localized and is available in French, German, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish languages for PC and Mac. The team also officially announced that this award winning Viking saga is coming to mobile devices this summer.

“Releasing The Banner Saga in multiple languages is a promise we made to our backers when we launched our Kickstarter in 2012,” said John Watson, Technical Director at Stoic. “We are happy to be able to keep this promise by finally releasing the game in multiple languages. In addition to PC and Mac the game will also be available in multiple languages on mobile devices when we launch the game later this summer and look forward to sharing this experience with a whole new audience!”

“Having The Banner Saga launch on tablets later this summer and launching localized language versions, has been quite an achievement for the Stoic team,” said Steve Escalante, General Manager of Versus Evil. “We’re in full support of their efforts and are working closely with the developers to bring the best experience to not only to our new international players, but our soon to be mobile players as well.”

The Banner Saga is an epic role-playing Viking saga with turn-based tactical combat where the player’s choice in travel, conversation and combat determines the outcome of their own personal story as well as the survival of an entire civilization.

The game features stunning 2D animation and art, a unique tactical combat system and a cast of unforgettable characters that drive the story forward. The journey is enhanced by a beautiful and haunting original score by Grammy nominated, and two-time BAFTA winner, composer Austin Wintory conducting The Dallas Winds orchestra, as well as a powerhouse trio of acclaimed YouTube sensations: Peter Hollens, Malukah and Taylor Davis.

The Banner Saga is available now through Steam, UPlay, GameFly, GameStop, GOG and Gamers Gate for PC and Mac. A digital Deluxe Edition is also available through select retailers which includes the game and complete soundtrack."

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

Kyn are "just" one of the many games that Versus Evil will publish in the near future.

There´s a lot of action going down at the Versus Evil office at the moment. Because they have just announced both a Afro Samurai sequel (developed by Redacted Studios), a mobile version of The Banner Saga (which will be released this summer), and Habitat will come to Steam’s Early Access program on July 8th.

But that´s not all. Nope, because Versus Evil will aslo publish Tangrin studios Viking inspired RPG game "Kyn". And you can read all about it in the press release further down the page. So, have a pleasent read people!

Press release:
"(Austin, TX) June 25th, 2014 -- Indie publisher, Versus Evil, is proud to announce they have added two new titles to their lineup: Kyn and a game based on the Afro Samurai animated series. The team also announced plans to launch Habitat on Steam’s Early Access program on July 8th and that The Banner Saga will be launching on mobile devices this summer. Finally, a vastly improved Dragons and Titans was also on display at their inaugural press event, showcasing the latest game updates, the newly released Act 4 story driven adventure mode, and the latest weapon and dragon releases.

The Afro Samurai sequel is in development at Redacted Studios for next gen consoles and PC. This upcoming third person action adventure includes an original storyline, new playable characters, and improved special moves and combos which firmly establishes the franchise as the undisputed leader in dynamic dismemberment.

Kyn, a witty Viking inspired role-playing, strategy game featuring team based combat, exploration, and deep crafting systems is set in an original and unique fantasy world where magic and the environment work hand in hand to overcome all obstacles. Kyn is in development for PC, Mac and Linux by Tangrin, an independent video game studio based in the Netherlands.

“Working with independent studios is truly rewarding and we couldn’t be happier to add Redacted Studios and Tangrin to a growing list of top indie studios,” said Steve Escalante, general manager of Versus Evil. “Afro Samurai and Kyn are two excellent and promising titles that we are privileged to be publishing. The talent present within these studios is simply amazing and we are really excited to work with them to bring these games to the market.”

More details about the Afro Samurai game will be released over the coming months. To learn more about Kyn please visit: http://www.kyngame.com"

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

Will War of Zodiarcs bring something new to the JRPG and card game table?

The very nice madam "Gamerwife" just informed us about Cardboard Utopia´s upcoming tactical JRPG card game "War of Zodiarcs". A game that´s been inspired by games such as Shining Force and Final Fantasy Tactics (to name a few).

And from what i´ve been told. War of Zodiarcs will become a Sqaure Enix collective pitch. It´s also said that War of Zodiarcs are set for a release sometime next year (for PC and console). That sure sounds really impressing and all.

But will War of Zodiarcs deliver? That's A whole nother question. Oh well, time will tell i guess. Anyhow, you will find more information about War of Zodiarcs downbelow!

About War of Zodiarcs: 
"The game is called War of Zodiarcs, and it blends Tactical JRPG, cards, and dice to create an exciting new gaming experience that requires tactical, minute-to-minute planning in every battle.The game features a strong visual concept, a deep story exploring the tumultuous journey to becoming an adult, and a cast of 10 party members all with unique personalities and back stories, War of Zodiarcs is the sort of complex and sophisticated adventure we dreamed of playing as children.

The choice of genres for War of Zodiarcs was inspired by our love of tactical games like Shining Force and Final Fantasy Tactics, games that force you to plan and think about your next move. Cards and dice were added to the mix to imbue the game with the excitement of playing a traditional board game, where you’re filled with anticipation and tension as you prepare to flip the card or throw the dice, and then fist-pump in success when you get the result you want.

In the game you play as Weiss, a young novice on his way to become a knight, so he can join the army ofGilden in their fight against the Toran Empire. Together with a group of like-minded adventurers, he sets out on a quest for glory.

But what at first seemed like a sure victory becomes a desperate struggle against a dark force from beyond time and space; a struggle that will determine the fate of two worlds - and teach Weiss that sometimes the burden of becoming the man everyone expects can be too much to bear...

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

That´s correct. Dreamhack exists in Spain as well.

Some people may not know this. But Dreamhack is not "just" a big Swedish recurring (yearly) event anymore. Nope, because the Dreamhack event has turned up in other parts of the world as well. Like DH Valencia in Spain for example. 

And the Dreamhack Valencia event will kick off on the 7th of July (it ends July 12th). So if you just happen to be in Spain between the 7th and 12th of July. Then you should pay DH Valencia a visit ;) (the ticket price are nailed down to 15 Euro per ticket)

Welcome to DreamHack Valencia 17-12 July:
"In the middle of July it's time for the fourth edition of DreamHack Valencia in sunny Valencia, Spain net to the Mediterranean sea. In Valencia you can experience both LAN, Expo and eSports, including the third stop of DreamHack Open 2014 where some of world's best StarCrat II players will fight to grab a slot in the DreamHack Open Grand Final at DreamHack Winter later this year.

Go to the www.dreamhack.es and read more about the event and get your day pass ticket only for 15 euro."

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

 
Something tells me that that´s not jam on her hands.

Before I close down our shop for today. I just wanted to tell you guys about a Vietnamese horror game named "Seven mysteries". It made me think of a mix betweet Forbidden Siren, Silent Hill and The Ring (movie). So If your a fan of horror games.

Then you should most definitely download and give Seven mysteries a chance =)

About Seven mysteries:
"The game is about groups of "special" students: The inquisitive, the mysterious, and the insane. Among them, there is one particular student who seems to be very interested in the school's secrets. One by one, the forbidden knowledge unveils before his curiosity. But... 

"When you know something, you will have to exchange something for it..."

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

Karma are a very "different" adventure/puzzle game indeed.

Russia are starting to become a really big player on the indie scene. Because more and more interesting indie games are being developed in Russia ("Knock knock" for example) as we speak. And today i heard about AuraLab´s adventure/puzzle game "Karma".

And trust me on this. Karma are a very, very different and uniq adventure game. For starter there´s no dialogs (whatsoever) in the game. All the communication in the game are done via characters bubbles (speach bubbles).

But only time will tell if that´s enough to impress Gamers world wide. Because Karma needs to collect $35,000 via Indiegogo within 40 days from now. Or else there will be no release of Karma. So if you like the trailer for Karma, then show it some love on Indiegogo and Steam Greenlight!

Press release:
"24 June 2014 - Moscow, Russia - AuraLab today is thrilled to announce the launch of their IndieGoGo campaign for the surreal and psychedelic game - Karma. Incarnation 1.

Karma. Incarnation 1 is a classical point-and-click adventure jam-packed with original humour and brain- bending puzzles. The game tells the story of a creature named Pip who is incarnated in the form of a cute- yet-brutal worm, living in a truly surrealistic world.

Being naive and not knowing much about this reality, Pip is willing to talk to flowers and stones just as much as he is ready to swallow whole another representative of local fauna.

Get ready for a psychedelic tale of good and evil driven by the laws of Karma.

'We have finished pre-production of Karma and have completed a huge percentage of development already, we've a lot of final conceptual art done and working prototype but we still have an incredible amount of work to do -

animations, programming and testing,' said Andrey Sharapov - CEO of AuraLab, 'Being a small indie studio we would like to stay independent and as such we're not funded by a publisher or investor, so we're looking to crowdfunding to help support the development!'

AuraLab strongly believe in the principles of karma and would like to help make the world a better place. With this belief, the team is confident that good deeds make the world respond in kind..

The team decided that part of the revenue from sales of the game will be donated to the wildlife rescue fund WWF, to help save endangered species and fund research."

About the game:
- No text dialogue whatsoever!
- Alternative ways of progressing through quests: by being good or evil, the player opens additional storylines as they progress!
- The main character changes his appearance depending on the path he's chosen and key characters react on
his looks differently. This too opens alternative story lines that make playing through game again and again fun in different ways
- This opens alternative storylines, thus making playing through the game again and again fun in many ways
Astral vision - Pip, the main character, can see through his inner eye - it's a special ability which
allows him to perceive the spirit world at any moment of the game.
- Within this astral plane he'll find additional creatures and actually hints on how to sucessfully complete
the quests
- Unique and original sound track by Zmeiraduga band.

About AuraLab:
AuraLab is a small indie team of industry professionals in game development, producing, game design, animation and visual arts.

Each member of the team (except the musicians) have previous experience at major game-development studios. We have formed AuraLab to create and release Karma - a true indie adventure which we have all dreamed of
creating.

Developers Interview (IGG video) - http://youtu.be/hGw4sGVju4U
Cartoon (Karma 1 series) - video with developers commentary (IGG video) - http://youtu.be/hGw4sGVju4U
Cartoon (Karma 1 series) - http://youtu.be/_lJSPCGTSbE

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

Pretty cool huh?

If you are dead serious about Gaming (espacialy if you compete in the E-sport leagues). Then you know more than well that a good (bad) mouse can be the difference between winning and losing. So i´m very happy to inform you guys about Roccat´s Gaming mouse and mousepad "The Kone pure military Gaming".

Not only does the mouse and mousepad look great. They work really great as well. And you will find both prices and the press release below. So, game on people!

ROCCAT™ Kone Pure Military Edition – MSRP: 69,99 Euro

ROCCAT™ Sense Military Edition – MSRP: 19,99 Euro

Press release:
"Stockholm, 23 June 2014 – ROCCAT introduces the latest in our Kone series, the Kone Pure Military gaming mouse. The Kone Pure Military presents a series of themed visual styles for players to select, from Camo Charge and Naval Storm, to the Desert Strike variant, with all of the excellent features gamers would expect in a Kone mouse. It comes standard with our patented Easy-Shift[+] technology, highly customizable illumination via LED lights with brilliant 16.8 million discrete colors, in a sleek, compact package that’s smaller than the instant classic Kone XTD, but with all of the durability and ergonomic function you’d expect from a Kone.

Outside of the striking new visual flare, is the feature highlight of the Kone Pure Military; its 5000 dpi Pro-Optic (R4), one of the most high-powered optical sensor available. State-of-the-art, lag-free, ultra-precise, with an Adjustable Control Unit (ADCU) for manually configurable lift control, the Kone Pure Military lives up to its name, giving gamers military precision, ROCCAT quality, and the very best gaming experience.

Also new to the ROCCAT roster is the Sense Military Mousepad. Available in the same color schemes as the Kone Pure Military, the Sense Military is an excellent companion to any ROCCAT gaming mouse, with our non-slip backing, and more than enough room for even the most active mover and shaker with a mouse in hand, the ROCCAT Sense Military adds yet another option to an already stellar list of ROCCAT products.

René Korte, CEO and founder of ROCCAT says, “The positive feedback we received with the introduction of the Kone Pure Color edition in 2013 encouraged us to come up with a second limited version of the Kone Pure. Many popular games played with ROCCAT products have a military theme, and we thought it fitting that we extend this to the Kone Pure Military mouse and Sense Military mousepad. We believe these products are a perfect complement to your combat gaming experience.

Both the Kone Pure Military mouse and Sense Military gaming mousepad are available now.

ROCCAT™ Kone Pure Military Edition – MSRP: 69,99 Euro

ROCCAT™ Sense Military Edition – MSRP: 19,99 Euro"

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground

Dex are set for a release in June (for PC, MAC, Linux, Wii U and OUYA).

I am very glad to inform you all that Dreadlocks studios will release their cyberpunk 2D RPG game "Dex", very, very soon. To be exact, they plan to release Dex by the end of this month. And we can thank Kickstarter and all the Dex backers for that.

Because Dex collected over £30,000 by the end of December last year. And if you ask me. That really proves that the Gamer community are really hungry for more cyberpunk games. And from what i´ve seen so far from Dex.

Dex looks and feels like adventure version of Shadowrun. So yeah, i´m going to give it a go asap!

About Dex:
"Explore the dark alleys of Harbor Prime and a host of diverse locations in both physical reality and the wild reaches of cyberspace. Discover the truth behind an enigmatic AI striving to reach the Singularity, a theoretical “event horizon” in which artificial intelligence will surpass human intelligence and all bets about the future will be off. How will you play your part in the story?"

Features:
-Explore hand-drawn locations of a futuristic city Harbor Prime.
- Find your own path through enemies and obstacles.
- Participate in fully voice-acted interactive dialogues.
- Evolve and improve the character, unlock new skills and abilities.
- Immerse yourself in the cyberspace and steal corporate data.
- Experience innovative approach to traditional RPG features.
- Follow the storyline or take mercenary missions for cash!

/Robin E
The Gaming Ground