Tomb Raider News
Posted November, 2009
Time Warner (Warners Bros. Pictures) and producer Dan Lin remain in the early stages of development on another sequel in the "Tomb Raider" movie series. When Time Warner upped its stake to 19.92% in Eidos in December, films rights to the property were included as part of the deal. In July of 2009, L1N Pictures announced that the next Tomb Raider movie sequel is currently in development at their Hollywood production company. Their website can be found at: LIN Pictures. The idea is to 'reboot' the movie franchise, as we've seen with "Batman Begins" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine".
LIN has an exclusive deal with Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema in the area of feature film production, and is known for such films as "Terminator: Salvation" (starring Christian Bale), and "Sherlock Holmes" (with Robert Downey Jr, 12/05/2009).
Dan Lin has shared a few details on the Hollywood reboot of Tomb Raider. Speaking during the premiere of "Terminator: Salvation", Lin confirmed that the movie is indeed in the works. The next Tomb Raider movie is said to feature a much younger Lara Croft.
Concerning the project, Lin stated "We're rebooting Lara Croft as well. Really excited - it's a great origin story that we're going to tell. A very character-oriented film, ..... I would say more realistic than the past Lara Croft movies."
When asked whether Angelina Jolie would reprise her role as Lara Croft, Lin simply replied: "It's an origin story, so it's a younger Lara Croft."
No actress, however, has been cast yet for the iconic role, according to Lin. He also emphasized that the reboot will focus on Lara's character, likening it to "Terminator: Salvation".
"I would say it's like Terminator: Salvation, .... more character-driven action. I think for me the Lara Croft games and movies have gone a little too action-oriented. I wanted to have action, but with character."
Dan Lin, of course, will produce the film. The company's website states: "We are developing this project as a prequel to the Tomb Raider video games. Our story will follow a young Lara Croft on her first expedition and examine her origins."
Exactly who the director will be, also remains a mystery at this time. The latest rumor about the actress who will play Lara Croft in the next Tomb Raider movie popped up online. It comes from "Tomb Raider Forums". A fan claims that a "source" at LIN Pictures is saying that Peyton List ("Smallville", "CSI", "Ghost Whisperer", "Monk", "Flash Forward") has already been selected to play Lara.
Although this rumor came from a fan forum and has to taken with a grain of salt, one must admit that Peyton List certainly has the young, attractive look needed for the role. See her picture and a brief bio below.
Eidos Interactive is now Square Enix Europe
Eidos Interactive Ltd.and Square Enix Ltd. announced that a re-organization of the two companies' operations has finally been completed. The combined business in the United Kingdom will now operate under the name of "Square Enix Ltd." and is part of the "Square Enix Europe" business unit.
Square Enix Europe is the unified business unit representing the sales and marketing offices in the UK, France and Germany. Together, they will promote titles across Europe, along with a global network of leading development studios to help showcase the diversity of their gaming brands. This goal was first announced back in July and represents the creation of a more powerful structure for game development and publishing.
Headquarters will be in Wimbledon, London. Square Enix Europe will develop, publish and distribute entertainment content under the brands of Square Enix, Eidos, and Taito. Square Enix Europe also manages several leading development studios including Crystal Dynamics and IO Interactive, among others.
Maya calendar and the end of time
On December 21, 2012, thousands of pilgrims will travel to Chichén Itzá, Tikal, and a multitude of other sites of ancient America. They will wait for a sign from the ancient Maya marking the end of the world as we know it. Will it really be the end of the world? Or is this just another "Y2K" scare? It all depends on which of the New Age prophets one chooses to believe.
In 2012, the grand odometer of Maya timekeeping known as the "Long Count", will revert to zero and a new cycle of 1,872,000 days (5,125.37 years) will begin. As the long-awaited "Y12" date nears, tales of what will happen are proliferating on the Internet, in print, and in movies: Hollywood's big-budget, effects-laden disaster epic, "2012," opens this November under the tag-line "We Were Warned."
Many of the predictions begin in outer space. It's long been known that a black hole exists at the center of the Milky Way galaxy and that, in 2012, the sun will align with the plane of the galaxy for the first time in 26,000 years. Then, according to many doomsayers, the black hole will throw our solar system out of kilter.
Lawrence E. Joseph says that supergiant flares will erupt on the sun's surface, propelling an extraordinary plume of solar particles toward earth at the next peak of solar activity. Our planet's magnetic field will reverse, thus producing dire consequences. Many people believe this will include violent hurricanes and the loss of all electronic communication systems. Recent natural disasters, from Hurricane Katrina to the tsunami in the Indian Ocean are all related to this alignment, and the ancient Maya supposedly knew all about it.
Tomb Raider iGoogle game theme
In case you haven't tried it, Eidos and Google have collaborated to create a Tomb Raider themed background for fans to personalize and customize their homepage with Lara Croft. Click on the link below and the theme will be automatically added to your iGoogle page.
The Eye of Horus
Sign for Healing -
A powerful symbol used to protect from evil, the ancient name for the Eye of Horus was "udjat". Horus lost his left eye in his war with Seth, who tore the eye into pieces. The left eye, being the moon was discovered by Thoth lying in pieces, but he was able to reassemble them into the full moon.
This healing of the eye became a symbol of renewal of health Horus gave the reassembled eye to his murdered father Osiris, thereby bringing him back to life.
Egyptians believed that the Eye of Horus was capable of healing sickness and capable of bringing the dead to life, as it did with Osiris. The Egyptians used the eye as a funerary amulet for protection against evil and rebirth in the underworld, and decorated mummies, coffins and tombs with it.
The Book of the Dead instructs that funerary eye amulets be made out of lapis lazuli or gold The Eye consisted of 6 pieces, each piece of the udjat represented a fraction of the descending geometric series 1/2, 1/4, 1/8., put together they make 63/64 or approximately one.
The Egyptian fraction system was based on this symbol. It was used to record prescriptions, land and grain. The modern 'Rx' symbol which is used by pharmacies and in medicine has its origins in the Eye of Horus.
Ancient Egyptian Booby Traps
There were some ancient Egyptian curses. These were written on tomb walls in hieroglyphics, or spoken by priests as part of a death ritual. The tomb curses related to
the punishments in the afterlife which would be enacted by the gods and the ghosts of the occupants of the tombs.
The tomb curses were designed to frighten anyone disturbing the tomb, particularly the tomb robbers. But tombs were not just protected by curses.
- Tombs were bolted and sealed
- Tombs contained secret chambers which were difficult to access and hidden from sight
- Entrance passages or shafts leading to the tombs were blocked with huge stone slabs and mounds of rubble
- There were blind passages and trap doors
- Hidden holes and wells
- Wires were rigged which were designed to decapitate tomb robbers
- Poison was used in the coatings of tombs or in powders that were released into the air when stones were disturbed
James Cameron's "Avatar"
Oscar-winning writer/director James Cameron (who gave us movies like "Terminator", "Terminator 2", "True Lies", "Aliens" and "Titanic") may have another blockbuster on the way. What Cameron has done with CGI and performance capture (in making it look photo-real in 3D) is amazing.
In the 22nd century, a paraplegic war vet travels to another planet, ... Pandora. It is inhabited by a strange humanoids, the Na'vi, a race with their own language and culture. Those from Earth find themselves at odds with each other and the local culture.
Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), is the former Marine who was wounded and paralyzed from the waist down in combat back on Earth. He's selected to participate in the "Avatar program", which will enable him to walk again.
Sully travels to Pandora, a lush jungle-covered extraterrestrial moon which orbits a gas giant, and is filled with incredible life forms, some beautiful, ..... many terrifying. Pandora is also home to the Navi. Though considered primitive, they are a sentient humanoid race that are physically more capable than humans.
Standing ten feet tall, with tails and sparkling blue skin, the Navi live in harmony with their world. As humans advance deeper into Pandora's forests in search of valuable minerals, the Navi unleash their formidable warrior abilities to defend their threatened existence.
Jake realizes that he has unwittingly been recruited to become part of this encroachment. Since humans are unable to breathe the air on Pandora, they have created genetically-bred human-Navi hybrids known as "Avatars".
The Avatars are living, breathing bodies that are controlled by a human "driver" through a technology that links the driver's mind to their Avatar body. On Pandora, through his Avatar body, Jake can be whole once again.
Sent deep into Pandora's jungles as a scout for the soldiers that will follow, Jake encounters many of Pandora's beauties and dangers. There he meets a young Navi princess, Neytiri, whose beauty is only matched by her ferocity in battle. Over time, Jake integrates himself into Neytiri's clan, and begins to fall in love with her. He then finds himself becoming caught up in the conflict between her people and the human military that is consuming their world.
As a result, Jake finds himself caught between the military-industrial forces of Earth, and the Navi, forcing him to choose sides in an epic battle that will decide the fate of an entire world
"I think the discussion is going to be about the fact that you've got synthetic characters that are so true to what the actors did in terms of the performances that they actually have a soul, they have an emotional reality, and they have life. They are kind of unassailable in terms of their visual reality. I think that's going to be the story. I think that's going to be the story of this world that took us four years to create, and all its detail -- the creatures, environments, and the reality of all these fantasy characters that don't seem like fantasy at all. They feel like they are sitting right there with you, and I think with that it just boils down to storytelling."
You can see a trailer for the film at the IMDb website. The cast includes Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi and Zoe Saldana. Projected release date for the movie is December 18, 2009.
"World of Warcraft" to the big screen
Posted August 8, 2009
Warner Brothers studio, Blizzard, and Legendary, have announced that Sam Raimi ("Spider-Man") will direct the long-in-the-works big-screen version of Blizzard's genre-dominating video game, "World of Warcraft".
Blizzard Entertainment revealed that a "Warcraft" movie was in the works during the 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Legendary Entertainment, the film production company behind the movie "The Dark Knight" and the upcoming "Gears of War" film, was the company that landed the project.
Raimi is best known, of course, for his direction of the multi-billion dollar grossing "Spider-Man" films. "Warcraft" will be produced by Atlas Entertainment's Charles "Chuck" Roven, Legendary's Thomas Tull, along with Raimi producing partner Joshua Donen. Blizzard Entertainment's senior vice president of creative development Chris Metzen will co-produce the film, with the screenplay being written by Robert Rodat.
The announcement refered to the project as a "major motion picture based on Blizzard Entertainment’s award-winning Warcraft universe." World of Warcraft is currently one of the most popular multiplayer role-playing games in the world. It has drawn almost twelve million subscribers worldwide since its launch in late 2004. A 2011 release date for the Warcraft film is anticipated.
Video Game Review - " WET "
Posted October, 2009
The bloody combat in the video game "WET" is a combination of high-flying acrobatics and brutal gunplay that consistently entertain you, despite some rough movement mechanics at times. The story is well paced and propelled by a fiery soundtrack that perfectly suits the over-the-top action. It's an action-packed thrill ride that barrels over its own speed bumps and potholes at such a pace that you can't help but have a great time. Yes, this bloodbath is a bit rough around the edges, but exciting acrobatic combat and a great soundtrack make it very entertaining!
The combination of auto-target, free aim, and slow motion makes combat relentlessly entertaining, and the vigorous soundtrack and great pacing give the game a satisfying sense of momentum. Though there is a certain roughness to the action, "WET" is still a raucously entertaining adventure.
The architect of all this destruction is the deadly Rubi Malone. When things go wrong on a job she's hired to do, she wants revenge, ..... and this lady has the skills to get it. Rubi can run and gun fairly well, but it's much more entertaining and rewarding to shoot while doing something besides running. If you start shooting while doing anything even remotely acrobatic, time slows down and the real fun begins!
Rubi is dual-wielding, and when you enter the slow-motion shooting mode, one of her guns automatically targets a nearby enemy. You can then aim the other gun freely, which allows you to take down multiple enemies without breaking a sweat.
Rubi's flexibility allows you to cover a wide degree of firing angles. The shooting mechanics and slow-motion effect combine to imbue every enemy encounter with cinematic potential. To take out a cluster of enemies, for example, you could leap toward your enemies and use your pistols to stop the charging swordsmen. Then you can land in a slide, switch to your semiautomatic guns, and spin your torso around in a full circle, spraying hot lead in every direction. The slow motion not only makes this killing spree possible, but it also allows you to revel in your deadly abilities.
This deadly beauty will occasionally get really angry and go on a brief rampage. In these sections, the environment is bathed in a blood-red hue, Rubi becomes more powerful, and invigorating music plays as you cut a path through your foes. Throughout the game, you earn skill points for every enemy you kill. Acrobatic kills are worth more points, and successive kills will earn you a multiplier that boosts your point reward even higher. You can purchase new abilities for Rubi (like stylish new sword attacks) and boosts for each of her five weapons.
You start the game with dual pistols (with infinite ammo) and a sword, and you'll unlock three more pairs of guns as you progress. It's easy to switch weapons on the fly, and your different guns have their own predictable strengths.
The plot is a serviceably violent romp through the underworld and takes you to a variety of detailed locations that, while not exactly beautiful, have a number of nice flourishes. The voice acting is solid but not great.
The whole game is overlaid with a grainy filter (which you can turn off) that echoes WET's grind house inspiration, but the best part of the presentation is the soundtrack, which boasts a robust number of grimy surf rock tracks. These play at timely intervals, punching up the action and psyching you up to do some more killing.
The combination of auto-target, free aim, and slow motion makes combat relentlessly entertaining, and the vigorous soundtrack and great pacing give the game a satisfying sense of momentum. Though the game controls may leave much to be desired, it's still a very entertaining adventure. To sum it up in one sentence, "WET" is a highly stylistic, violent tour de-force ...... not unlike a film by Quentin Tarantino.
Release Date: May 20, 2008
Rating: Mature
Looking For Lara Croft ......
Peyton List was born on August 8, 1986 in Baltimore (Maryland). Peyton studied at the "School of American Ballet" in New York City and also played there on stage.
She began her career as a model and actress at the age of eight. Since then had various modeling jobs for "Dooney & Bourke" as well as "Clean & Clear". Peyton also belongs to the New York "Ford" models. She has been on the cover of Girl's Life magazine more times than anyone else and was also Cover Model for magazines like "Your PROM" (2002) and "Bridal Guide" (2004).
In addition to her modeling career she worked hard on her acting and on December 14, 2001 she landed her first role as "Lucy Montgomery" in CBS' daily soap "As the World Turns". She played her role for four years and left the show at the end of her contract to focus herself on bigger projects. Peyton landed guest roles in series like "Law & Order" (1990), "Sex and the City" (1998), "Smallville" (2001) and "Monk (2009) along with several appearances on the "CSI" series. Peyton was the prim and sexy secretary to Don Draper on AMC's popular "Mad Men" (2008), and co-stars in the new Mark and Olivia’s daughterABC series "FlashForward" (2009) where she plays Nicole Kirby, a nineteen year-old student who earns her living babysitting Mark and Olivia’s daughter.
She had her first Hollywood role in the Walt Disney movie "The Greatest Game Ever Played" (2005) which was on top 9 with 3.7 million visitors on the U.S. cinema charts. Before that she had short appearances in movies like "Washington Square" and "Conjuring Aurora".
Top Video Games
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
- Halo 3: ODST
- Batman: Arkham Asylum
- Streetfighter IV
- Prototype
- The Sims 3
- Fight Night Round 4
- The Conduit
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
In "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves", treasure hunter Nathan Drake returns for more tomb raiding in the sequel to the 2007 archeological action adventure hit. With an exhilarating campaign, intense cooperative mode, and addictive multiplayer competition, Uncharted 2 is a complete game that is a must see. It is an exciting, brilliantly paced adventure with varied combat, thrilling acrobatics and exploration, and a complete multiplayer system with perks.
Drake travels the globe, in search of a lost artifact, while trying not to get shot. He quickly realizes the ramifications of his latest discovery. He then begins a new quest to thwart an evil warlord from grabbing the sacred object for himself and growing all-powerful in the process. "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" doesn't veer far from the original formula established by "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune", but there are a few tweaks and a strong focus on details that make this a better game. The stunning visuals bring exotic locales to life. The gameplay isn't perfect, but Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is an awesome game that continually surprises, impresses, and entertains. This perfectly paced campaign is pure joy from beginning to end.
Release Date: Oct 13, 2009 
Halo 3: ODST
ODST is the thrilling new entry in the Halo franchise. You wake up all alone in a hostile city. There are enemies hiding in the nearly pitch-black environment and your allies are nowhere to be found. In the opening moments of "Halo 3: ODST", you are vulnerable and aimless. This feeling of desolation never fully dissolves. ODST is an awesome entry in the franchise because it not only showcases the elements that have made previous games in the series so much fun, but it also introduces some new ideas that put a unique spin on the classic formula. The most exhilarating new feature is the Firefight mode. It's a cooperative battle against a never-ending swarm of covenant soldiers that is as intense and rewarding as anything that has appeared in the series. Whether you love the solitude of the single-player campaign, the camaraderie of cooperative encounters, or the blood lust of multiplayer competition, "Halo 3: ODST" is a fantastic package. "Halo: Reach" is the next upcoming first-person shooter video game (exclusively for Xbox 360). It's part of the Halo series, and is scheduled for release during the fall of 2010.
Release Date: July 7, 2009 
Batman: Arkham Asylum
No doubt, you've already heard of Batman, either from the movies, comic books or animated TV shows. If you haven't, it's conceivable that you might be unfamiliar with Arkham Asylum. But, you don't need to be a fan of Batman to enjoy this excellent third-person action game. The iconic psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane is essentially Gotham City's Alcatraz. It has housed just about every villain Batman has ever tangled with at one time or another. In this game, the lunatics take over the asylum and only you can stop them. In the intro, you learn that Batman has captured Joker, as you see him being returned to the asylum under Batman's watchful eye. It quickly becomes apparent that he has deliberately allowed himself to be captured. He plans to throw a "party" there, with Batman as the guest of honor. Clearly it's a trap, but as Batman, you just can't walk away from it. You not only get to go toe-to-toe with thugs in fast-paced punch-ups, but you also employ stealth tactics, use great gadgets, solve some remarkable riddles, and do a decent amount of detective work. Everything about this game - the impressive visuals, stirring soundtrack, superb voice acting, fiendish puzzles, hard-hitting combat - all feels like it has been crafted by a development team that's both knowledgeable and passionate about their source material. If you don't try this game, the joke's on you! Riddle me this, ..... what is it that is always coming, but never arrives?
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Street Fighter IV
Street Fighter IV brings the legendary fighting series back to its roots by taking the fighting moves and techniques of the original Street Fighter II, and infusing them with Capcom's latest advancements in next generation technology to create a truly extraordinary experience that will re-introduce the world to the time-honored art of virtual martial arts. Everything that made the legendary Street Fighter II a hit in the arcades, living rooms and dormitories across the globe has been brought back in Street Fighter IV. Players will be able to play their favorite classic characters, such as Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li and Guile, along with new characters, including Crimson Viper, Abel, El Fuerte, and Rufus. Characters and environments are rendered in stylized 3D, while the game is played in the classic Street Fighter 2D perspective with additional 3D camera flourishes. Six-button controls for the game return, with a host of new special moves and features integrated into the gameplay system. Street Fighter IV brings a brand new fighting game to fans the world over.
Release Date: July 7, 2009
Prototype
Prototype Discover what lies beyond the edge of evolution. An all-new, 3rd person open-world/action game, Prototype puts gamers at the helm of Alex Mercer - a genetically mutated shape-shifter with no memory of his past hell-bent on solving the mystery of his existence - as he tears through a densely populated New York City moving with Parkour-style fluidity and consuming anybody that gets in his way... assuming their physical identity, memories and abilities.
Release Date: June 9, 2009
The Sims 3
The Sims 3 allows you to immerse your unique Sims in an open living neighborhood right outside their door. The initial feature-set unveiled includes the new seamless, open neighborhood, new Create-A-Sim, new realistic personalities (every Sim is a unique person, with a distinct personality) and new unlimited customization of your characters.
Release Date: June 2, 2009
Fight Night Round 4
Fight Night Round 4 promises to be both ground-breaking and revolutionary. With an all new physics-based gameplay engine, truly unique and differentiated boxer styles, the fastest and most true to life representation of the "Sweet Science," and the most impressive boxing roster ever including the return of Iron Mike Tyson, EA SPORTS' Fight Night Round 4 takes video game boxing and fighting to an entirely new level. In Fight Night Round 4, you're only one punch away from victory, or from getting put on the canvas.
Release Date: June 23, 2009
The Conduit
The Conduit is an action-packed, science fiction first-person shooter video game developed by High Voltage Software for the Wii console. The campaign storyline focuses on a full-scale alien attack on Washington D.C. A shadow government organization called the "Trust" sends newly inducted agent Michael Ford into the area initially to disrupt a terrorist threat, but he quickly becomes embroiled in the fight to stop the invasion and save the capital from destruction. Armed with sci-fi gadgets and high-powered weapons, players will battle aliens, rouge agents and enemy forces as the former secret service agent, "Mr. Ford."
The Conduit was released in North America on June 23, 2009 by Sega, and is planned to be released in the United Kingdom and Europe on July 10, 2009, and in Australia on July 16, 2009. The game makes use of the Quantum3 engine, a game engine designed by High Voltage Software specifically for the Wii. The engine allows effects such as bump mapping, reflection and refraction, and gloss and detail mapping to be implemented in the game. High Voltage Software created the engine to make The Conduit a comparable experience visually to games on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 despite the Wii's perceived hardware limitations.
Release Date: June 23, 2009
Video Games On the Horizon
Aliens vs. Predator
We've been waiting for this one. Aliens vs. Predator is a video game currently in development by Rebellion Developments, the team behind the 1999 original PC game, and set to be published by Sega for Microsoft Windows, the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. The game is a first-person shooter based on the characters and creatures of the Alien and Predator franchises. It is to be released in the first quarter of 2010.
There are three campaigns in the game, one for each race/faction (the Predators, the Aliens and the Colonial Marines), that, while separate in terms of individual plot and gameplay, form one overarching storyline.
As in the films, the Predator prefers to stalk its prey from the safety of treetops and the gameplay reflects this, the player leaping from branch to branch automatically with the help of a "focus jumping" game mechanic. The Predator has different vision modes, the most recognizable from the films being a thermal imaging scanner, but the player also has different vision modes for spotting Aliens and other Predators. Each vision mode only allows for targeting a specific race. For example, the Heat Vision mode renders Aliens and other Predators nearly invisible, making battles between two or all three species a tactical juggle to prioritise enemies based on their threat to the player.
The Predator’s gameplay is based more on stealth and tactics than the average first-person shooter. The player has to be aware of Aliens, which have the ability to see through a Predator's cloaking device, that may climb up a tree and attack from below as well as taking care not to reveal themselves to marines too early as the marines’ weaponry and numbers are more than a match for the Predator. For long-range weaponry, the shoulder-mounted plasma cannon has been the only confirmed weapon for the Predator, but OXM expects to see a glaive-like disc and a spear gun to be announced later in development as both weapons were "stalwarts from the previous games." For close-range combat, the Predator has two retractable wristblades on its right arm.
The wristblades allow for the Predator to perform a "trophy kill," a nod to the movies in which the Predators take trophies, usually skulls, from their defeated enemies to show their prowess in the hunt. OXM labelled the trophy kill mechanic as so "spectacularly violent" that they believe it will be cut from the final game to avoid an Adults Only rating in the United States as it was "several measures more graphic" than any other recent games. The animation for trophy killing a marine with a Predator is the only one known, though the Aliens also have a trophy kill system that is "far less disturbing." To begin the Predator's trophy kill, a "terrified" marine is dragged into the centre of the screen by his or her throat, which the Predator then snaps effortlessly with the accompanying sound of "someone biting into raw celery." The neck broken, the Predator decapitates the marine, with a "sizeable portion" of the spinal cord following.
Jason Kingsley, the CEO of Rebellion, defended the brutality of the trophy kill system, stating "This is obviously a game based on adult-rated movies, and we want to make sure it’s very clearly an adult-rated game. It's an issue for me; some computer games are for kids – we're not making a computer game here for anyone other than adults. That's very clear and within that context, I think the violence is part of the character and the world – so we're talking about a fantasy world here and fantasy creatures and we're talking about trying to build up a mythos. I remember the first time I saw it, one of the particular Predator kills, everyone went 'Oooh.' But it's what the Predator does in the movies."
One element of the Predator's gameplay that hasn't been fully confirmed is how to limit the use of the Predator's more powerful weaponry, such as the shoulder-mounted plasma cannon which, in the first Predator film, had the ability to punch a hole through a man's chest. Previous games in the AvP series used an "honour system" to prevent the overuse of weapons. In this game, however, Rebellion "appears to have settled for an energy system". This means the cannon can be recharged by using any energy power-up console in the environment. Energy is also used to re-charge the Predator's health.
We have seen very little of the other two campaigns. The Alien campaign will force players to get in close to their enemy, since their only methods of attack are physical. The Aliens' claws, tail and inner and outer jaws are their tools of attack. Aliens live in the shadows and use senses other than sight to locate their prey, which is why the Predator’s cloak is useless against them, and this would imply stealth tactics similar to the Predator’s campaign, getting players to search for dark areas to hide the black alien in. Players will be allowed to climb over every surface in the game as an Alien, but this is counteracted by a slower pace than previous games in the series, discouraging "blitz tactics." Rebellion is reportedly including a game mode which will increase the Aliens' speed back to their "original, often disorienting pace," possibly tied to the difficulty level.
The Colonial Marine campaign is to be far closer to that of a standard first-person shooter. Confirmed weapons are the "iconic" Pulse Rifle and Smart Gun, along with an image intensifier to light up dark areas and the motion tracker made famous in the "Aliens" movie. The key to the marine campaign is the sheer terror of facing off against the two movie menaces of the title. Rebellion have confirmed that no cutscenes will take place other than from the perspective of the player character and that the point of the campaign is to simply survive. The marine campaign also contains the most information about the game's plot. We assume this game will at least be rated "M" for Mature.
Release Date: sometime in 2010
X Box 360, Playstation 3, Windows
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Posted August, 2009
Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of the biggest games on the video game horizon. The sci-fi MMORPG will represent BioWare's first attempt at creating a massive multiplayer online game, but it will also build upon its classic single-player RPG "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic".
BioWare and LucasArts are promising an incredible amount of content that's staggering. Each class will have its own storyline that's the equivalent of a single-player RPG, and each character will be fully voiced, just like in a single-player BioWare game. There are potentially thousands of characters in this game.
A collaborative effort between Bioware, Lucasarts and Dark Horse Comics has resulted in a webcomic entitled "Star Wars: The Old Republic: Threat of Peace", the purpose of which is to set up the story as the game opens.
The story takes place in the Star Wars fictional universe shortly after the establishment of a tenuous peace between the re-emergent Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic, 300 years after the events of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic games and more than 3,500 years before the events in the Star Wars films.
The Jedi are held responsible for the success of the Sith and chose to relocate from Coruscant to Tython, where the Jedi order had been initially founded, to seek guidance from the force. The Sith control "Korriban", where they re-established a Sith Academy.
This game is still in the middle of development.
Release Date: yet to be announced
Tomb Raider 9 game in development
The inevitable return of archaeologist Lara Croft may be close at hand. It has been rumored on the web that a possible Tomb Raider 9 video game is currently "in the development stage" at Crystal Dynamics. At least, so says a "source" at Eidos.
According to an internal briefing that was leaked, we heard "unofficially" that the new Tomb Raider 9 concept will essentially reboot the franchise. It will take a closer look at Lara Croft's transformation into a hardened adventurer as you unravel the story behind an island's mysterious past.
Hmmm, .... younger Lara? reboot? .... sounds a bit like the description of the Tomb Raider 3 movie currently in development with LIN Pictures in Hollywood, doesn't it? Video game and feature film tie-in perhaps?
In the video game, a sudden storm destroys her research vessel, and a young and inexperienced Lara Croft finds herself stranded on a mysterious and remote island. Despite signs of various inhabitants, the island is oddly deserted. An uneasy feeling settles in as strange sounds emerge from the shadows.
With only her determination, inner strength, and resourcefulness to help her, Lara must overcome the challenges of a harsh and unforgiving journey. The journey will take her across a vast island wilderness and deep into the claustrophobic and menacing underground tombs of the island's past.
As Lara struggles to survive brutal combat encounters and treacherous exploration, she is pushed to her limits and forced to adapt to her situation in order to escape the lethal predators that stalk her every move. The multi-region island will be an open playground alive with creatures, weather, and natural events.
The player must outsmart, trick and kill the mysterious enemies that hunt Lara as prey. You must brutally attack and defend yourself as you fight to survive through a series of visceral one-on-one battles. The player can gain an advantage in combat by finding an array of different melee and ranged weapons including a variety of guns, and the hunter's ultimate weapon, .... the bow.
You'll need to react and adapt to the island by using only that which you can salvage from the surrounding environment. Lara will be able to scramble up vertical cliff walls, sprint and leap across huge chasms, or steer mid-air to land a misdirected jump. There is no single right way to traverse, survive, and explore the harsh environment of the island.
Release Date: unknown
Tomb Curses - The High Priest Herihor
The above curse was carved on statues of the priest. Herihor was a high priest of Ramses XI (1102 BC – 1069 BC) of the twentieth Egyptian Dynasty of the New Kingdom.His name shall not exist in the land of Egypt.
Cartouche - Royal Encircling Protection
The Good Luck Charm of the Egyptian civilization, the ancient name for the cartouche was "shenu" . It was worn only by kings (Pharaohs), and represented the Pharaohs' insignia. Both the king's Praenomen (throne name), and his Nomen (birth name), were written within cartouches.
These two names are the most important royal titles, and the two cartouche names always appeared with emblematic use and formal inscriptions.
The "Magical Oval" in which the Pharaoh's first name was written was intended to protect him from evil spirits both while he lived and in the afterworld. In the New Kingdom, royal sarcophagi were made in the shape of the cartouche. The entire burial chamber of Thutmose III was in the this shape.
Ankh - Sign for Life
The ankh was used as an emblem and appears as one of the most powerful cultural and religious symbols of ancient Egypt. It was the symbol of eternal life and bestowed immortality on anyone who possessed it. Gods and Kings (Pharaohs) were often depicted as carrying ankh signs. It was usually worn as an amulet to extend the life of living, and placed on the mummy to energize the resurrected soul.
The amulet was a powerful talisman that provided the wearer with protection from the evil forces of decay and degeneration. This symbol appears widely in writing, paintings, ankh-shaped objects such mirrors or mirror-cases. The ankh was popular throughout Egyptian history and due to its cruciform shape remained so into the Coptic period
Video Game Heroines - Lara Croft
One of the most famous women in video game history, the character of Lara Croft has attracted many fans all over the world as she continues to explore lost civilizations while laughing in the face of death. Angelina Jolie portrayed the beauty in the first two big screen adaptations of the video game ("Lara Croft: Tombraider" and "Lara Croft: The Cradle of Life").
When Lara's not wandering through her vast mansion, the beautiful treasure-hunter is off exploring ancient ruins, battling dinosaurs and creatures from other worlds ..... and looking sexy doing it. She also happens to be the most successful and most publicized heroine in video games.
The enigmatic archaeologist has become an icon that, despite some minor hiccups in her 12-year career ("Angel of Darkness" leaps to mind), has maintained her beauty as well as a very loyal fan base.
Bio: Lady Lara Croft is an 11th generation Countess from the Croft family, which was granted the title and rights to Abbingdon, Surrey by King Edward VI in the year 1547. The Croft Estates are comprised of three separate manors, two of which are maintained by the National Trust. The third is home to Lady Croft.
Lara herself suffered several personal tragedies, including the deaths of both her parents before she came of age. An accredited genius and Olympic-standard gymnast, Lady Croft is the focus of speculation and intense debate in both the scientific and political communities in addition to the popular press. Both idealized and vilified in equal measure, she is perhaps one of the most fascinating and enigmatic figures of her time.
At the age of nine she survived a plane crash in the Himalayas that took the life of her mother. She somehow survived a solo ten-day trek across the Himalayan mountains, one of the most hostile environments on the planet. For six years following the plane crash, Lara rarely left her father's side. She traveled around the world from one archeological dig site to another.
When she was fifteen, Lara's father went missing in Cambodia. an extensive search by the authorities (and Lara herself) turned up human remains that could not be positively identified. Since Lord Croft's body was not officially recovered, Lara could not directly inherit the Croft title and she was thrust into a bitter family feud over control of the Abbingdon estates with her uncle Lord Errol Croft. Lara eventually won the legal battle, and took possession of her inheritance but at the cost of a deep rift in the Croft family that left her estranged from her living relatives.
Lady Croft has already eclipsed her father's career. She is credited with the discovery of some fifteen archeological sites of international significance. These sites are still yielding new and exciting insights to the past on an ongoing basis. No one can deny her incredible contributions to the field of archeology, however she is not without her detractors.
Lara's methods have been frequently called into question by government officials and other practicing archeologists. Lady Croft has been described as being too cavalier, and even irresponsible in her work. Some scholars have suggested that her notorious lack of documentation and brute force methodology have contaminated many sites and has done more harm than good. There have also been allegations that Lara actually takes items from these sites before informing the international community of their locations, and that she is nothing more than a glorified treasure hunter.
Tomb Raider: Underworld
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