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Joymax announces the winners of the screenshot contest for Silkroad Online (SRO), its historical fantasy massively-multiplayer online role-playing game. Hosted by MMOsite, the contest challenged players everywhere to exert their artistic instincts to deliver the best game images. Winners were selected based on criteria including funniest screenshot, most romantic screenshot, and even best screenshot-turned-comic. Out of over 4500 entries, ten prizes were awarded in each category for a total of 70 in-game prizes, including enhanced weaponry and skill points.

You can download winning screenshots by clicking here (600KB).

Silkroad Online is a historical fantasy massively-multiplayer online role-playing game, set across the famed Silk Road trade route. Daring trade runs on treacherous roads provide the backbone of the gameplay content as players take on one of three distinct roles: Merchant, Thief, or Hunter. With complete freedom to develop their characters, gamers find fame and fortune by trading and transporting goods, preying on trade caravans, or hunting thieves. Free to play, Silkroad Online is a visually stunning MMORPG in a unique setting with adventure hiding behind every turn.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Silkroad Online

Atari has announced the forthcoming PlayStation 2 Collector’s Edition of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 containing exclusive content. Developed by Namco Bandai Games and Spike, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 for PlayStation 2 is scheduled for European release on 9 November in both standard and Collector’s editions.

Available in a specially designed retail box, the Collector’s Edition contains the game, plus an exclusive digital art book and giant wall poster. The 50-page art book includes imagery from the development team detailing how the game’s characters and environments were created, plus a personal message from the team at Spike. The poster features a dazzling array of DBZ characters, making the Collector’s Edition something no fan should be without.

Improving upon last year’s hit 3D fighting experience, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 offers more than 150 playable characters, more than 30 battle stages, and upgraded shading techniques providing enhanced and devastating effects. The exclusive ‘Disc Fusion System’ featured in the PlayStation 2 version of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 lets players insert either Budokai Tenkaichi 1 or Budokai Tenkaichi 2 into the console to unlock brand new gameplay modes. Each game in the series will provide a different and exciting new gameplay mode.

The immensely popular Dragon Ball Z series is the gold standard of anime-based video games, with more than 25 different games and over 10 million units sold since May 2002.

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 for PlayStation 2 is scheduled for release on 9 November. Featuring online play for the first time in a DBZ game, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 for Wii is scheduled for European release in January 2008.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Tenkaichi 3

Daedalic Entertainment has announced that The Whispered World, a new adventure game, will be released at the end of 2008. The point & click title takes players to a fascinating fantasy world. Hand-painted backgrounds filled with animated detail and lovingly crafted characters bring the fairy-tale story of The Whispered World to life. In a first artwork, the central characters have donned Halloween garb to wish gamers a happy Halloween.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Whispered World

Gamers with a flair for fright can get their scare on with the release of Ghouls ‘n Ghosts for mobile. A direct translation of the classic arcade platformer, Ghouls ‘n Ghosts casts the player as Sir Arthur, a noble knight on a quest to restore souls stolen by Lucifer.

Beginning in a graveyard players hop, bound, hack and slash their way through seven unique nail-biting levels populated with all manner of obstacles, evil enemies and other infuriating hazards. To combat the denizens of Camelot, Arthur can equip an assortment of lances, swords, axes and knives, most of which can be powered up magically for even greater effect.

Ghouls ‘n Ghosts upgrades the original with a save game feature. Now players can pick up and play whenever they want without having to rebattle through the same harrowing levels. The game also boasts the series’ classic soundtrack to fully immerse players in the experience.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Ghosts for Mobile Phones

Disney Online announces that Pirates of the Caribbean Online, a massively multiplayer online game and virtual world inspired by the popular film franchise, has launched for the PC and Mac platforms. Pirates of the Caribbean Online allows thousands of players to fully experience the adventures made famous in the films and explore beyond these boundaries in a quest to become the most legendary pirate on the high seas. In Pirates of the Caribbean Online, players create and customize their own pirate, captain their own ship, and assemble a crew of their fellow rogues in an effort to become the Caribbean’s most legendary Pirate. Along the way, players will interact with characters made popular by the films, like Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, and will also encounter a host of new characters and enemies unique to the game. To become the most notorious pirate, players must forge alliances, hunt for buried treasure, battle evil undead forces, and use cunning and strategy to outwit their foes.
Continue reading »

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Caribbean Online

Ubisoft announces that Naruto: Rise of a Ninja, exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, has been released and will be arriving on North American store shelves this week. The Naruto: Rise of a Ninja video game is based on VIZ Media’s Naruto animation series which airs on Cartoon Network.

In Naruto: Rise of a Ninja, players will experience Naruto starting from the series’ beginning, and will be able to relive the hit animation and manga and experience Naruto’s transformation from noisy ninja-academy failure to respected ninja.

Key features of Naruto: Rise of a Ninja include:
- Experience Growing Up As Naruto: The only game that allows you to step into Naruto’s shoes from the series’ beginning. Complete authentic missions and relive the Naruto manga and animation experience.
- Immerse Yourself in the Naruto Universe: Roam freely and discover authentic environments. Explore the Leaf Village and its surroundings. Interact with Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi and members from the Naruto cast.
- Unparalleled Depth and Variety of Gameplay: The first Naruto game to combine action adventure gameplay, classic platforming battles, head-to-head fighting and in-depth character development.
- Build Your Fighting Techniques to Defeat Deadly Enemies in Fast-Paced Combat: Define your own way of the ninja as you learn to better control your chakra, improve your techniques, master new taijutsus and ninjutsus, and command more powerful ninja weapons. Train with Kakashi-Sensei and learn to execute hand signs with your controller’s sticks.
- Play With Friends: Select your favorite Naruto character and challenge a friend. Customize your character and pick your own battle field. Or challenge the world’s best on the Xbox LIVE online gaming system.

Naruto: Rise of a Ninja ships with an ESRB rating of “T” (Teen).

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: a Ninja Brings the Adventure

Plunk this one in the “nice to know” file. European website Computer Base (via Gizmondo) reports the new 40GB PlayStation 3 models have the smaller 65nm Cell chip and a smaller heat pipe. What does that mean for you? A system that makes less noise, expends less heat, and uses less power — about 135 watts, down from 200 watts for earlier PS3 models, apparently.

Whether the performance upgrades make up for the lack of backward compatibility is up to you. Still, it’s nice to know the upgrades should keep the already low PS3 failure rates even lower.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Cell Chip, sp3s

Microsoft hasn’t had much luck keeping new announcements under wraps, so this weekend when rumors circulated from Xbox 360 Fanboy about a possible feature for the Fall Update, most weren’t surprised of yet another leak. This one came from a tipster who snapped shots of his Xbox 360 after getting it back from the Xbox Repair center. The screens showed hints at IPTV functionality, which set the internet ablaze with speculation the feature would be part of their upcoming major dashboard update.

But, not so fast. As it turns out, the screenshots were legit, but the feature isn’t planned for the Fall Update. Microsoft issued a statement to clear up the misunderstanding. In it, they point out that the features “were inadvertently exposed while the customer’s console was being serviced and is unrelated to the Fall Update.” The features are part of the Microsoft Mediaroom services and will be given to TV service providers by the end of 2007. After that, it’s entirely up to those providers to determine when the feature becomes available. It could be next Spring, Fall, or beyond.

It looks as if Xbox 360 owners will have to wait a little longer to escape the cold clutches of VHS tape tyranny to record their shows.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Fall Update

With the controversy that’s been surrounding Manhunt 2, it’s pretty easy to forget there’s a game somewhere in all this media buzz. That’s a shame, because Rockstar wants you to think about the game — maybe even play it.

Jeronimo Barrera, VP of product development at Rockstar, sat down in an interview with Stephen Totilo from MTV News to talk about the cloud of controversy that’s obscured the game’s release, while simultaneously making it more of a spectacle than it likely ever would have been without.

Foremost, Barrera still laments the initial AO rating. “There are guidelines we adhere to and think we are will within,” he said. “I don’t understand why a game like this got an AO when we were well within the M-rated territories.” Still, he insists that the changes necessitated by the ESRB revisions “didn’t neuter the game.” Interesting choice of words, considering that particular method of gruesome death was cut.

Barrera goes on to talk about how the controversy may be giving some the wrong impression. “A lot of people just believe this is a murder simulator and all you do is kill people. But the reality is that there’s a really strong narrative,” he said. “There are conversations to be had about this game — intelligent conversations. That’s what we want to do: get people interested in those [things], rather than ban this game because of X, Y, and Z.”

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Intelligent Conversations

“Ninja Gaiden 2″ makes its debut on Xbox 360 as the blockbuster action-packed sequel to “Ninja Gaiden”. “Ninja Gaiden 2″ features a new and improved game engine, developed from the ground up exclusively for Microsoft and Xbox 360 by Team Ninja and legendary game developer Tomonobu Itagaki, creator of the famed “Dead or Alive” franchise.

In “Ninja Gaiden 2″, gamers must guide Ryu Hayabusa on a mission to avenge his clan and prevent the destruction of the human race. Armed with an assortment of ninja weaponry, players must help Ryu skillfully maneuver through a world fraught with peril and danger. “Ninja Gaiden 2″ will feature an all-new gameplay engine, a new auto-health regeneration system, levels, adventures, enemies and thrilling combat with an extensive assortment of ninja weaponry, representing a true evolution of the highly popular franchise.

Features:
• Exhilarating ninja action. Assuming the role of a ninja warrior, players will experience an all-new combat system that requires skill and mastery of their full arsenal of weapons, including Obliteration Techniques that allow players to quickly and stylishly finish off an opponent. In addition to the variety of brutal new primary weapons and enhanced versions of previous favorites, “Ninja Gaiden 2″ will feature unique acrobatic combat and attacks used not only by Ryu Hayabusa but also by his formidable enemies.
• Easy to play but hard to master. The new auto-healing system in “Ninja Gaiden 2″, featuring semi-permanent damage restored at save points, is the natural evolution of the franchise’s distinctive gameplay and introduces a new twist to managing health. With a newly implemented auto-healing functionality and save-point system, as well as an extensive story mode and multiple difficulty levels available from the start of the game, the gameplay of “Ninja Gaiden 2″ will be both accessible to more casual players and challenging to even the most demanding gamers.
• Massive content and engrossing story. The themes of revenge and friendship in “Ninja Gaiden 2″ give rise to a series of dramatic events to create a truly compelling story. From Tokyo to New York and to the netherworld, the story will lead players through a lengthy, action-packed story mode as they skillfully maneuver Ryu Hayabusa through a demonized world fraught with peril and danger. In addition to the single-player campaign, players can upload Karma scores to Xbox LIVE leaderboards and participate in an all-new Master Ninja Tournament.
• Realistic graphics in next-generation gaming. Built from the ground up from Team Ninja’s in-house gaming engine for the next-generation Xbox 360 platform, “Ninja Gaiden 2″ represents the best in amazing visuals, responsive control and thrilling combat with an extensive assortment of ninja weaponry.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Xbox 360