Berlin, Germany — “Frozen Hearth,” an enticing mix of strategy and RPG, is set in the world of Amorra, which the Danaan have called home for many generations. With the advancing forces of the ice demons, known as the Shangur, this is about to change.

The ancient world of Amorra draws its influences from many areas including, but not restricted to, dark fairy tales and conventional fantasy as well as Celtic, Scandinavian and other European mythologies. The aim was to create a fantastical but believable world that’s grounded in reality. It is this world, the home of the Danaan, which is under threat from the invading Shangur.

Unfortunately for the Danaan, it soon becomes apparent that the ice demons are just too powerful to be defeated and the Danaan’s only hope for survival is to flee. This is where the player’s as-yet inexperienced hero comes into the picture: he is cast into the demanding position of leadership, responsible for a group of refugees that need to be lead to safety, all the while marshaling his forces and holding off marauding enemies.

Throughout the main story the gripping fight for survival unfolds and sees the player’s hero coming into his true power until he is in charge of the most elite warriors, armed with the most powerful weapons and magic and backed by other heroic figures of the Danaan: he is no longer just responsible for a single village but a source of hope for the entire Danaan people.

On his path to becoming the ultimate hero of the Danaan the player must slowly progress from saving a small caravan of refugees to being given more and more important tasks and missions from powerful and influential Danaan. During this time the hero will not only grow in personal power but also experience or witness tragedy first-hand and acquire the allies and tools to ultimately thwart the Shangur’s unrelenting drive to destroying everyone and everything in their path.

Frozen Hearth will be released in late 2012 and will be available for purchase in retail stores and via digital download platforms.

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Seattle, U.S.A. — Red Panda Games is pleased to announce their beta release for “The Host Holic,” a visual novel for Windows. The current release date is October 31, 2012.

“The Host Holic” is a dating-sim that follows the tale of an English teacher who explores daily life from a foreigner’s perspective in Tokyo. The game features a complex dating system and allows the player to experience cultural aspects of Japanese life through activities such as shopping, obento, host clubs, and even a Japanese-style arcade.

The game also integrates a classroom management system that requires the player, as a teacher, to make the best possible choices to ensure success for the school and its students. An optional subplot allows the player to investigate an unexplained psychological illness that is affecting the students at school.

Multiple paths and various endings allow for significant replay value. The game is currently available on preorder at a 25 percent discount. More information can be found at the developer’s website: http://visualnovelgames.com/VN-Host-Holic.html

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Nobodinos announces their Kickstarter campaign to raise development funds to make their game ‘Bottom Feeders’ for the mobile market. Bottom Feeders is a simple, casual action game where players plunge a net from a boat to catch all kinds of different sea critters, which are ultimately added to their collection.

Fishing with dynamite? No problem! How about some super bait power ups? Need a faster winch to pull up more critters on your boat? Or how about a boat captain? Players will find themselves playing levels again and again trying to catch them all, raising their scores, winning prizes and adding to their collections.

Because nobodinos was founded by two long time Zipper Interactive employees, nobodinos has linked up with the Videogame History Museum. We’re encouraging Kickstarter donors by offering a complete set of Zipper games, donated to the museum, with donors names engraved on a plaque.

The donation will include the complete SOCOM US Navy SEALs series along with other classics like MechWarrior3 and Crimson Skies. Other donation levels will include the iPad or iPhone version of the Bottom Feeders game and various Bottom Feeders merchandise.

Nobodinos’ Kickstarter campaign for Bottom Feeders is different than most projects, the idea is actually a proven, fun game! Many other campaigns are asking for funding to develop an idea or create a prototype. However, nobodinos is already close to launching the full game on the Facebook web platform.

With Kickstarter support nobodinos will develop Bottom Feeders for iPhone and iPad and other mobile devices. It’s very exciting to already have our game nearly finished and with Kickstarter support we can take it even further so people can play it on phones and tablets.

To learn more or contribute to the campaign go to http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/russp7117/bottom-feederstm.

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Temple Terrace, U.S.A. — Winning Blimp is proud to announce the imminent release of its debut title “Ambi-ON,” currently the only mobile app that brings together the classic game mechanics of Breakout and Pong in a vertically scrolling environment.

Targeting fans of retro gaming and gritty futuristic aesthetics, Ambi-ON features endless algorithmically generated stages, intuitive pick-up-and-play controls and a range of purchasable power-ups, upgrades and levels.

“It’s been great fun putting Ambi-ON together, and we’re confident it’s going to really hit the spot for both fans of retro game mechanics, and people who enjoy epic sci-fi game settings,” Winning Blimp’s Executive Producer Bear Trickey comments. “Just wait till you hear the music. We are trying to raise the bar for mobile gaming music, and oh man, Ambi-ON is gonna hit hard. Bring your headphones!” says Trickey.

Ambi-ON will be available for free download from the Apple App Store in mid-September. Various purchasable upgrades will be offered, and future releases for Android, Playbook, Playstation Mobile, as well as localizations in Japanese and Chinese are planned.

Further information and a preview video is available on Winning Blimp.

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Plano, U.S.A. — Robot Entertainment announced on August 27, “Fire & Water,” the first booster pack for “Orcs Must Die! 2.” The booster pack features three brand new levels and three new Endless Mode conversions that can be played in single-player or with a friend in co-op. Players who download the pack will also find a new array of traps to help them combat terrifying new elemental enemies.

Hellish new Fire Lords and Fire Elementals crumble when killed, leaving behind dangerous Firelings that will hunt the player down and explode when they get too close. Slippery Water Lords and Water Elementals dwindle into pools of water when killed, but don’t count them out of the fight. When Waterlings find dormant puddles, they’ll absorb the stagnant water and grow into new Water Elementals.

War Mages will have access to three exciting new traps to add to their arsenal, as well. The Web Spinner is a new wall trap that ensnares passing monsters in a sticky tangle of webs, slowing them down to buy precious time.

Ceiling Darts turn your fortress into a temple of doom for orcs, dropping from the ceiling to fire deadly darts in every direction. Leave orcs in a world of pain with the new Floor Portal, where unsuspecting enemies who step on it will be magically teleported back to the beginning of the level.

The “Fire & Water” booster pack for “Orcs Must Die! 2″ will be available on Steam for $4.99 beginning August 29.

“Fire & Water” Booster Pack Features:

• New Levels to Defend: The fight for survival isn’t over yet. Battle your way through three exciting new levels in single-player or co-op – Traffic Jammed, Double Decker, and The West Wing.
• New Endless Mode Conversions: Think you’ve mastered Endless Mode? Think again! The Fire & Water booster pack features three new Endless Mode level conversions to hold your ground on – The Library, Double Decker, and The West Wing.
• Terrifying New Enemies: Prepare for a whole new challenge when you face off against the harrowing new Fire and Water Elementals.
• Exciting New Traps: Add some deadly new defenses to your Spellbook with the Web Spinner, Ceiling Darts, and the Floor Portal.
• New Bonus Skull Definition: Can you hold the invading monsters at bay without traps? Prove your mettle by playing exclusively with weapons and you’ll add another bonus skull to the pile at the end of each level.

“Orcs Must Die! 2″ is an action-strategy game that challenges players and their friends to team up and defend a world constantly under siege. “Orcs Must Die! 2″ is available exclusively as a digital download on personal computers this. For more information about “Orcs Must Die! 2,” please visit http://www.OrcsMustDie.com.

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Cergy Pontoise, France — Namco Bandai Games Europe announced on August 24, 2012, that “Dark Souls: Prepare to Die” Edition on PC is now available at retailers and through Steam and Games For Windows Marketplace across Europe and Australasia. This special, content-enhanced edition of the critically acclaimed Action-RPG developed by FromSoftware will be finely-tuned to cater to the PC gaming audience while retaining all of the deep challenge, rich atmosphere, and compelling gameplay that made the game a worldwide phenomenon.

“Dark Souls: Prepare to Die” Edition on the PC platform will also include an enhanced PVP mode allowing players to more closely assemble battles against one another online in an all-out fight to the death that fans have demanded. The day one edition will include a stunning art book featuring art from the new Artorias of the Abyss game content, the original soundtrack CD, a DVD containing the complete behind the scenes video series, poster and postcards.

“Dark Souls: Prepare to Die” Edition will include sprawling new maps and environments; new boss characters, enemies and non-playable characters; an arsenal of new weapons and armour; and additional challenging content for stalwart heroes to face as they return to the deadly world of Lordran. Players will also experience an as yet untold chapter in Dark Souls lore set in the dying kingdom of magic known as Oolacile.

Unwillingly taken by the abyss and sent back in time, the player becomes the only one who can save Oolacile from the spreading darkness that threatens to engulf the kingdom and all of its people. Aseparate retail edition of the “Dark Souls: Prepare to Die” Edition including Dark Souls original game and the new in game content will be coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 26.

With tense dungeon crawling and fearsome enemy encounters, the seamlessly intertwined world of  Dark Souls is full of extreme battles, rewarding challenges, nuanced weaponry and magic, and the flexibility to customize each character to suit any desired play style. The innovative online component allows gamers to draw from the collective experience of the Dark Souls community as they either help or sabotage each other on the journey through the world of Lordran to save the land from darkness. With a massive, seamless open world design, Dark souls encourages deep exploration and an adaptable gameplay experience.

“Dark Souls: Prepare to Die” Edition on PC is available throughout Europe and Australasia. “Dark Souls: Prepare to Die” Edition will be available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in Europe and Australasia on October 26. For more information on the game please visit www.facebook.com/DarkSouls or www.PrepareToDie.com.

“Dark Souls: Prepare to Die” Edition on PC is the first game published by Namco Bandai Games Europe that will include game registration. This brand new feature will enable users to collect loyalty points when they register their game on www.namcobandaigames.eu/register, these collected points will be redeemable against downloadable contents or rare and exclusive items in the VIP Corner for free.

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Twenty-five years ago, a Mario clone named “The Great Giana Sisters” hit the stores. Nintendo wasn’t happy with this cheeky approach, so the game vanished from the shelves as quickly as it appeared.

Despite the rocky start, or perhaps because of it, Giana has maintained a cult following up to this day. Mario’s parents decided to let bygones be bygones and a successful Giana title was released on the Nintendo DS in 2009.

Black Forest Games (http://www.black-forest-games.com), a games studio from Offenburg in Germany, has breathed new life into Giana’s legacy and needs your support to complete the brand spanking new indie continuation of the cult classic.

Project Giana is a twist on the original Great Giana Sisters featuring a dual soundtrack by Giana veteran Chris Hülsbeck and the chiptune metal band Machinae Supremacy. Classic Giana and metal tunes respectively underline the core feature of warping at will between two dream worlds.

You can see the game in action below

Also you can download two playable demo levels on Friday, August 24. The download links will be provided on http://project-giana.com/ and on the Kickstarter page below.

Keep your eyes open for updates on http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/project-giana/project-giana and support the game if you like it. At this point in time Black Forest Games has over 2,700 fans backing them for a total of over $75,000. Join in and grab a free copy of the game and exclusive goodies in return.

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San Francisco, U.S.A. — On August 21, 2012, Applifier announced the beta of its new Everyplay mobile gaming network designed to help mobile developers attract and engage players with social sharing of game replays. Starting on August 21, 2012, game developers are invited to join the Everyplay beta in order to access its powerful game discovery, player engagement and personalized messaging capabilities.

Applifier CEO Jussi Laakkonen is presenting Everyplay at the Unite 2012 conference, hosted by Unity Technologies in Amsterdam (August 21-24), and is available by phone and in-person to discuss the Everyplay beta launch at depth.

“Word-of-mouth is the most powerful tool for mobile app discovery. Everyplay makes those ‘hey, you got to try this app’ moments shareable by letting users share their own awesome, funny and outrageous gameplay experiences through videos with friends. Mobile phones are the most personal gaming devices ever, and we want to make mobile games just as personal with action replays and video messaging between players,” said Jussi Laakkonen, CEO and Founder of Applifier.

Everyplay provides a vital suite of capabilities designed for developers to attract, engage and retain players in their mobile game. The network aligns with the way users want to play, enabling interactions that are connected, social, meaningful, expressive, personal and authentic.

The most powerful way for players to discover new games is through friends, and Everyplay enables players to record, replay and share videos instantly with just one tap. With Everyplay’s social video sharing network and integration with Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, developers can enable their biggest fans to bring in friends and build a community directly within their mobile game.

Everyplay enables developers to create more personal multiplayer experiences with video messaging between users to brag, celebrate, challenge and taunt their friends.

Everyplay is a free service for developers and users, and available for all iOS devices now. Learn more and sign up for the Everyplay beta at www.everyplay.com.

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Tel-Aviv, Israel — SpikySnail Games, announced on August 21, 2012, that The Splatters is currently in development for PC and Mac, and will be available on Steam as soon as the game is ready for release.

The Splatters debuted on Xbox Live Arcade earlier this year and received a number of editor’s choice awards. Despite the critical acclaim for the XBLA version, SpikySnail is focused on re-imagining the game for the PC audience and will deliver a new version that builds on the success of the console game.

“As much as we love the the XBLA version of the game, we also learned a lot from it,” said Niv Fisher, co-founder of SpikySnail Games. “Being small and independent brings plenty of disadvantages, but one of the upsides is getting to do what you really believe in.

And in this point in time we would like to try a little different approach which we believe is a meaningful improvement. It also gives us tons of new and interesting stuff to deal with besides the port itself (which can get quite boring).”

The studio expects the PC, Mac and Linux versions of the game to take a little longer than usual, so no release dates are being announced yet. The team believes the extra time and effort required to make the game right for PC, Mac and Linux gamers will be worth the wait.

Those familiar with the XBLA version will find lots of new stuff to discover when the game is released on Steam. Those who haven’t had the chance to try The Splatters, will get a bigger and better experience all-around.

About The Splatters

The Splatters is an original arcade-style puzzler that challenges your brains and reflexes in a world of physics-based addiction.  In the game you control The Splatters, a band of acrobatic, liquid filled creatures. Set in a world where altering physics, performing crazy stunts and setting off a series of bomb explosions, seems like the right thing to do.

It’s a frisky show of skill, challenge and splattery destruction.

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The aerial dogfighting of WWII fast-forwards to 2012 as City Interactive gears up for the release of Dogfight 1942, a fast-paced, air combat game being released digitally for Xbox Live Arcade on September 5, 2012, then for PC and PlayStation Network later this fall. Fans that want a taste of the action on XBLA before committing to war will be able to download the first mission for free at launch.

Dogfight 1942 features three unique game modes — Dogfight, Survival and Campaign — each offering plenty of action that is easy to jump into.  In designing the game, City Interactive implemented incredibly intuitive controls to reduce the need for lengthy tutorials and allow any level of gamer to get up and running. At the same time, the gameplay remains extremely competitive so that even the most ardent flight game fan will find a fun challenge.

Keep in mind, this is not your typical digital game. Dogfight 1942 is a complete console gaming experience that delivers full-price retail production within the affordable digital price range.

So now that you’ve heard all about the game, how about seeing it in action?  To download and watch the newest gameplay trailer as well as a slew of new screen shots, visit the online media center: http://games.premiercomms.com/product.asp?p=365

Dogfight 1942 will release exclusively as a digital download for XBLA on September 5, 2012, followed closely behind by version for both the PC and PlayStation 3 later this fall

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Independent game localization company Fruitbat Factory is excited to announce their tactical simulation game War of the Human Tanks will be available to the public September 14, as well as a free demo of the game September 4. War of the Human Tanks was originally a well-known Japanese title and been localized for English speaking audiences everywhere for the first time.

War of the Human Tanks series pits the group of Human Tanks commanded by the player against the opposing Commanding Officers and their forces in a campaign fought on a series of grid-based maps. Players will have to use their wits to upgrade their units and utilize them to the best of their abilities in order to progress throughout the game.

Features of the full game will include:

• Fast-paced strategic battles in over 30 maps
• Use resources earned from battles to develop new tanks
• Customize your tanks with various modules to deadly effect
• Multiple endings based on your performance
• Replay the story keeping your previously earned units and resources
• Free battle mode to practice and gather extra supplies
• English localization features two all-new bonus maps, hand-drawn battle backgrounds and an improved user interface

War of the Human Tanks will offer a free demo version of their game September 4th on Desura, Gamersgate and Indievania. The demo will feature 5 full levels of the game, and players can keep their save file to play the full version of the game without losing their progress.

“With its length the demo should give everyone a good taste of the game,” says Ozhan Sen, Localization Manager for Fruitbat Factory. “I hope everyone enjoys the gameplay in the demo because it only gets better in the full version.”

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