Apocalypso's Atomic Arcade

2010/04/20

Techno Times Competition: Win a PS3 and God of War III

The Techno Times is a small insert that comes with the Cape Times every Tuesday or so, and they usually run competitions of sorts in some issues. The latest of these is a chance to win a PS3 250 GB along with God of War III. The console also comes with a controller.

All you have to do is SMS “PS3WAR” [sans quotation marks] to 34445, starting today. The competition closes on Friday, April 23, 2010 at 12:00 PM. Each SMS costs R2,00.

Note that this is for South Africans only.

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Source: Techno Times

Doctor Who Video Game Coming in June

This isn’t a new piece of news, as I’ve read something about it before months ago, but didn’t bother to post about it. Now some further details have been revealed and so I thought I would give it a go.

The BBC recently released a sneak-peak video of the upcoming Doctor Who game, which followed Saturday evening’s episode of Doctor Who, which I missed, seeing as I don’t watch the show that much – I did when Chris Evans and Billy Piper starred. I preferred Chris to this Matt Smith fella.

The best part about this game is that it’s being released for the PC and the Mac as a downloadable title, and it’s free! The title is being developed by Sumo Digital, with Charles Cecil, creator of the Broken Sword series of games, on board, and the first episode in a planned series of four, just like the TV show – just shorter, should release on June 5th. The game will also be supervised and produced by some of the team who have something to do with the current TV series, and the stars will provide voices for the characters.

The official title is Doctor Who: The Adventure Games.

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Source: NowGamer

2010/04/19

Video Game Deals at Amazon [April 19, 2010 Edition]: Prey Collector’s Edition, Red Alert 3, GRAW

Found some good deals over the past few days and stored them to make this. There are three worthwhile games to get your hands on. There’s Prey Collector’s Edition for the 360 for $43.21, Tom Clancy’s GRAW for less than 50% of the price for the PS2, and Red Alert 3 for nearly half off as well, for the PS3.

As usual the best deals are listed just below, and the rest below that.

Best deals:

Prey Limited Collector's Edition - $43.21 - Save $26.78 [360]

Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun - $13.48 - Save $26.51 [PC]

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter - $23.62 - Save $26.37 [PS2]

Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 - $27.60 - Save $22.39 [PS3]

SingStar 80's Bundle (Includes 2 Microphones) - $26.48 - Save $20.01 [PS2]

Guitar Hero (Game Only) - $14.62 - Save $17.50 [PS2]

Littlest Pet Shop Friends: City - $12.99 – Save $15.00 [DS]

Charm Girls Club: My Fashion Mall - $17.98 - Save $11.51 [DS]

[PC]

NeverEnd - $20.17 - Save $9.82
Everquest II: Sentinel's Fate Collector's Edition - $49.99 - Save $8.07
Mahjongg Escape Collection - $20.32 - Save $7.69
Everquest II: Sentinel's Fate - $29.99 - Save $7.00
Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun - $13.48 - Save $26.51
Legend Hand of God - $7.59 - Save $11.40

[PS2]

Guitar Hero (Game Only) - $14.62 - Save $17.50
SingStar 80's Bundle (Includes 2 Microphones) - $26.48 - Save $20.01
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter - $23.62 - Save $26.37
Crimson Sea 2 - $25.43 - Save $8.38

[PS3]

Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 - $27.60 - Save $22.39
Test Drive Unlimited 2 - $49.99 - Save $10.00

[Xbox 360]

Halo 3: ODST - $29.99 - Save $7.00
Prey Limited Collector's Edition - $43.21 - Save $26.78
Test Drive Unlimited 2 - $49.99 - Save $10.00

[PSP]

Dragonball Evolution - $9.56 - Save $10.00

[Nintendo DS]

Littlest Pet Shop Friends: City - $12.99 – Save $15.00
Deca Sports 3 - $29.99 - Save $10.00
Galaxy Racers - $29.99 - Save $10.00
NARUTO Shippuden: Ninja Council 4 - $19.99 - Save $10.00
Charm Girls Club: My Fashion Mall - $17.98 - Save $11.51
Charm Girls Club: My Fashion Show - $17.98 - Save $10.01
Legend of Kay - $19.99 - Save $10.00

[Nintendo Wii]

Rubik's World - $20.17 - Save $7.91

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Sources: Amazon - Nowinstock

Possible BioShock MMO in Development [Rumblings]

Some rumours were confirmed in the last week, and now new ones, or not so new ones it seems, have surfaced.

It was finally confirmed after a lot of rumours that a new X-com title, called XCOM is in development at 2K Marin. But something that could quite possibly be another title kept under wraps at 2K is a BioShock MMO.

This apparently isn’t the first time that this rumour has cropped up, and 2K has reportedly suggested in the past that they might have plans to do just this. About two years ago, in March 2008, it was said by the boss of Take-Two, Strauss Zelnick, that it was a potential possibility.

As for a particular studio working on the project, rumours have it that it’s 2K Marin, but remember that 2K Marin is working on XCOM, or at least the Australian branch is, mainly [complicated, I know].

It’s kind of funny though, when I think about it, a BioShock MMO could just work.

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Source: Rumor: BioShock MMO in the works [Destructoid]

Police Quest Series Consultant, Daryl Gates, Dies at 83

I fondly remember playing the Police Quest games by Sierra many years ago. My cousin had most of them, and I would hog the computer while he had to sit and watch TV. I also recall the laugh I had with those old Sierra On-Line games where if you typed something like “F@$k you” then it would reply with a message like “same to you buddy”. Clever.

Anyhow, there was a consultant behind the games in the Police Quest and Police Quest: SWAT spin-off series known as Daryl Francis Gates, and he sadly passed away on Friday at the age of 83. He died of bladder cancer after a long battle with the disease.

Daryl was a former Chief of Police in the LAPD, who was criticized heavily during the Rodney King saga years ago and the riots in Los Angeles thereafter in the early nineties. He retired soon after. He served a total of 43 years in the LAPD. Gates is also considered the father of SWAT [Special Weapons And Tactics].

He is credited with creating Police Quest IV: Open Season, the fourth game in the series, released in 1993, Police Quest: SWAT, otherwise known as Police Quest 5, as well as Police Quest: Swat 2 and Swat 3.

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Source: Police Quest Game Consultant Daryl Gates Dies [1UP]

2010/04/18

Gamer and Computer Business Man Murdered in Cape Town

Conrad Griss, a 23 year-old man from Hout Bay, Cape Town, whose passion was video games and worked with his father from home in a computer business, was murdered on Friday morning.

In the early hours of Friday morning this week, Conrad was playing games in his house on the ground floor. Burglars broke into the house just after 01:30 AM, when Conrad grabbed a pellet gun and tried to confront the men. He hadn’t even been able to load the gun when one of the men took a knife and plunged it into his face, driving it down deeper into his head from the cheek.

Conrad’s father, Charles, woke up after hearing dogs barking and his son’s cries, and rushed downstairs, grabbed a chair, and raced towards the commotion, shouting and scared the men off, as he watched them break a window in the house in order to escape, much like they had in order to gain entry.

Despite his efforts, he couldn’t stop the intense bleeding from his son’s face - trying to stop the bleeding with a towel, while simultaneously phoning the police. He literally watched his son die in his arms.

Paramedics arrived on the scene 15 minutes later, at 01:45 AM, but couldn't resuscitate him. He’d lost too much blood.

Conrad Griss left school without a senior certificate or matriculation, and went into working for his father’s home-based computer business. Conrad’s favourite past time was playing video games.

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Source: 'My son died in my arms' – requires registration to read [Cape Argus]

Video Games Coming out This Week [April 18-24, 2010]: Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper

AAA’s Target of the Week: Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper

No major releases this week. Quite quiet actually, but after nearly a year, the Xbox 360 version of Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is coming out. The PC version came out last year in May. And I’ve always been such a fan of the legend – and who isn’t? Jack the Ripper gets his own video game. That cements his legacy and popularity right there. There’s even a branch of science or investigation called Ripperology. Did you know that?

Apart from that, there isn’t much to see. Admittedly, I haven’t seen or heard of most of these games before. Sorry. Slow week, yeah. Awkward…

Available links go to game detail pages at retail and digital distribution outlets like Amazon and Steam, etc.

You can also check my Amazon aStore to see the latest and greatest games released this year so far.

[PC]

The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom [Steam]

[Xbox 360]

After Burner Climax [XBLA]
Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper

[PlayStation 3]

After Burner Climax [PSN]

[Wii]

All Star Karate
Monster Hunter Tri
Monster Hunter Tri Classic Controller Bundle

[DS]