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Carmageddon rams Android May 10, free for first day


Stainless Games's enhanced re-release of Carmageddon swerves onto Android on May 10. That's a little later than originally planned, but when a classic game's going for free, we're not bothered. As promised in the Kickstarter campaign for Carmageddon: Reincarnation, Stainless isn't charging a cent during the racer's first 24 hours on Google Play.

The enhanced version of the 1997 mayhem maker sports slightly enhanced graphics, touch pads that can be placed where you want on-screen, and YouTube and Facebook integration for those who like to share virtual bloodshed in video form.

GOG lines up 'Classic EA Convoy,' 28 games at 60 percent off


If you've decided 2013 just isn't your thing, and you'd rather be playing games of yore for the entire rest of the year, then GOG.com has you covered for no more than $68.52. That's how much the online retailer is selling a collective of 28 discounted EA classics, with the likes of the Ultima, Wing Commander, Populous and Dungeon Keeper series all at 60 percent off.

Of course, you don't have to be disillusioned with the calendar year to take advantage of these deals, nor do you have to buy the whole lot. Each individual game is priced $2.39, and they include Sim City 2000 Special Edition, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, and Bullfrog's brilliant medical sim Theme Hospital - you still can't beat a Bullfrog intro video.

The offer ends at 9PM PT on Monday, May 6 (midnight ET).

Pinball FX 2 flips onto Steam May 10 with Windows 7 support


Pinball FX 2 rides the Steam ramp on May 10. The XBLA and Windows 8 game arrives next week as a free download, with six packs available at launch for $9.99 each.

The sextet includes Star Wars Pinball, Marvel Pinball, Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue, Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles, Pinball FX2 Core Collection, and Zen Classics.

The Steam version brings Windows 7 support to the pinball platform. As Zen Studios VP Mel Kirk tells us, the Steam version is compatible with Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and even good old Windows XP.

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Zone of the Enders PS3 patch incoming, 'Enders Project' on hold

Hideo Kojima recently put the brakes on the Zone of Enders sequel and revealed a patch is in process for the Zone of Enders HD Collection.

The Zone of the Enders HD Collection ran into a bit of drama when it was discovered there were some negative technical disparities between the original games on PS2 and their Xbox 360 and PS3 updates. Siliconera did the translation work of a recent podcast, where Kojima stated the team is reworking the game and will release a patch for the PlayStation 3 version. There's no mention of an Xbox 360 patch. No release window for the patch was mentioned.

Kojima also mentioned that "Enders Project," a sequel in the franchise, has had the entire team taken off of it. He is currently re-evaluating what to do with the series.

Sound Shapes lays down more DLC on May 14 in NA, May 15 EU

Sound Shapes, Queasy Games's synesthetic platformer, gets another batch of DLC on May 14 in North America, May 15 in Europe. While Queasy's announcement was coy, PSNStores says it's confirmed the DLC comprises two sound packs: one 1980s-themed, one dubstep.

As PSNStores notes, the two DLCs packs accidentally appeared in a PS Store update for Asia back in March, and their trophies are listed too. The 80s are back in style and dubstep isn't going away anytime soon, so the timing looks metronomic for some new beats.

Fuse demo available May 7

Co-op shooter Fuse will let you take it for a test drive on May 7. Available through Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, the demo supports solo play, four-player co-op (or two player split-screen), allowing a group to try out the four operatives of the Overstrike squad.

"When it comes to Fuse, the biggest thing we've noticed when sharing it with others for the first time is that playing is believing," said Insomniac CEO Ted Price. Players can use the LEAP function to jump between the four characters, making it accessible to solo players as well.

Fuse is scheduled for retail insertion and home extraction on May 28 and 31 in North America and Europe, respectively.

Disney brings out Lasseter for Disney Infinity teaser

Image Disney is all-in on Disney Infinity. To help make this abundantly clear, here's Pixar's Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter and Avalanche Software (not to be confused with Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios) CEO John Blackburn talking about 'Toy Box.' Infinity is currently scheduled to ... Continue Reading

Sleeping Dogs yips onto PlayStation Plus May 7

PlayStation Plus breaches the Eastern crime zone of Sleeping Dogs in North America on May 7. As revealed on this week's PlayStation Blogcast, PS Plus subscribers get express tickets for some murder on the Orient in next week's store update.

Also joining the Instant Game Collection in May are Pinball Arcade on the PS3, which comes with the Tales of the Arabian Nights, Ripley's Believe It or Not, Black Hole, and Theater of Magic tables, as well as subterranean side-scroller Knytt Underground and enhanced fighter BlazBlue: Contiuum Shift Extend, both for the PS3 and Vita.

Q.U.B.E. 'Against the Qlock' DLC coming to Steam May 6


Q.U.B.E. is blocking out May 6 on its qalendar for new time-trial DLC titled 'Against the Qlock.' The DLC brings ten more levels to the Portal-like puzzler, with players trying to beat the timer as well as leaderboard scores. There's also a batch of new achievements.

While Q.U.B.E. is currently contained on PC and Mac, the game we deemed " a delightful on-screen Rubik's Cube" looks set to break out onto Wii U and maybe Vita.

Remember Me hacks our memories, inserts this trailer

Image Defying our understanding of neurology, memory can be found in the heart and soul of Remember Me. Manipulating memories drives the action in Dontnod's cyberpunk game, as creative director Jean-Max Morris reminds us in this six-minute synopsis. ... Continue Reading

Bethesda opens a Play Test Lab at id Software in Dallas

Bethesda opens play test facility in Dallas, at id
Bethesda has announced it has opened a Play Test Lab in Dallas, Texas, inside the offices of id Software. The lab will be used to test upcoming games with local Dallas players, and Bethesda promises some extra "games or swag" to anyone who comes in for testing.

You'll need to be 18 or over to apply, and Bethesda says it's looking for gamers of all types, both casual and hardcore. If you're around Dallas and want to put your name in the hat, you can sign up on the website right now.

Road Redemption Kickstarter adds XBLA, Oculus Rift stretch goals


Down to its final nine days, the Road Redemption Kickstarter campaign is hoping to entice the rest of its needed financing by announcing some stretch goals. If developer Dark Seas Games secures $178,000, the developer says a Xbox Live Arcade port is possible; $198,000 will guarantee Oculus Rift support.

Road Redemption is the spiritual successor to Road Rash developed by fans of the franchise, centered around motorcycle gangs fighting over drug distribution routes. Built with Unity, Road Redemption will launch on Mac OSX, PC, Linux and Wii U should the Kickstarter campaign yield the $160,000 needed in funding. At the time of publishing, the project sits at under $100,000.

Ronimo celebrates a year of Awesomenauts, with more on the way


Ronimo Games has shared this video on the first anniversary of its latest title Awesomenauts, featuring a look at all of the game's iterations over its history. From early alpha builds to the release version and then the various skins and updates, you can watch the awesomeness increase in front of your eyes.

Ronimo promises more is coming to the world of Awesomenauts. Update 1.18 is currently in testing, and it will add a balance overhaul and a Leon Pirate skin into the game that will replace all of that character's audio. Admiral Swiggins, the winning character from the "Design Your Own Awesomenaut" contest, is also set to release soon.

Dragon's Crown trailers speak English, not that it matters

Image These new trailers for Dragon's Crown's Fighter and Sorceress classes are in English, which is a change from the predominantly Japanese footage we've seen so far, but honestly trailers for this game could be in Esperanto and you'd still be able to get the gist of what's going down: Skeleton ... Continue Reading

Defiance recruits over one million Ark Hunters

Trion Worlds' persistent-word shooter Defiance has surpassed a million registered users in its first month, the developer announced today.

Players have collectively murdered over 500,000,000 hellbugs to date in Defiance, while the number of slaughtered heavenbugs is currently unknown. Trion also boasts one million triggered instances in the press release past the break.

Defiance is a trans-media project from Trion Worlds and the SyFy network – Trion Worlds launched the video game side of Defiance in early April, while SyFy's television series is currently ongoing. A "Most Wanted" contest was just announced, where players who average the most Ark Salvage per hour are eligible to win a spot on an upcoming episode of the Defiance TV show. The contest ends on May 12.

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Everything Tomb Raider 50 percent off on Steam this weekend

Steam is offering a 50 percent discount on assorted Tomb Raider games this weekend. The sale drops the price of the latest Tomb Raider game to $25, with the Survival Edition knocked down to $28.

The Tomb Raider Collection, which features 10 games from the series (including this year's entry), is also part of this weekend's deal. That sizable bundle of games can be bought for $35. Steam's weekend sale ends at 10am Pacific time on Monday, May 6. PS3 owners can still pick up Lara Croft's recent adventure on PSN for $30 this weekend.

Starbound earns over $1 million; extra race, fossils and pets a go

Starbound reaches $1 million in preorders, secures extra race, fossils, pets
Starbound, a sandbox exploration game with randomly generated worlds, is coming from developer Chucklefish, who has been raising money through its pre-order page (take that, Kickstarter!) for some time. Today, Starbound has received over $1 million from crowd-funding, securing all stretch goal extras for the game.

Upon reaching $500,000, Chucklefish promised a new playable race called the Novakids – nomads comprised of gases who have no planet to call home. At $750,000, fossils were introduced: rare and valuable materials players can unearth using special tools. Finally the $1 million threshold promised starter pets, which are companions that can't fight or be controlled – unlike the alien creatures you actually can capture and force to fight – but they love you unconditionally and that's the important thing.

There isn't an exact date for Starbound's launch, though the game is due sometime this year on Windows PC, Mac, Linux and Ouya.

Fez fan art takes that spreadsheet joke to a whole new coordinate

Image In 2011, Fez developer Phil Fish said, "PCs are for spreadsheets." When he announced Fez would hit PC, fans and haters jumped on the "spreadsheet machine" dig. After Fez's successful XBLA and PC launches, this fan art by Steam user McKack is a good stopping point for the joke. All the jokes, even. ... Continue Reading

Sledgehammer Games 'heads down' on next thing, not working on Ghosts


Sledgehammer Games is already working on its next game, the studio has revealed in a tweet congratulating Infinity Ward on its Call of Duty: Ghosts announcement. You'll remember the two worked together on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

"Our team is heads down on our next project, but best wishes to the hardworking team at IW!" the tweet read. Nothing specific was shared about this next project, but we've inquired with Sledgehammer Games to see if the outfit is willing to disclose any additional information.

Sledgehammer Games formed in 2009, when Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey left EA's Visceral Games and founded the studio under Activision. The original plan was to produce a third-person action game, but that would eventually get scrapped in the prototype phase.

Nintendo eShop blows out some sales before May 9

Nintendo eShop sales through May 9
The Nintendo eShop is doing some spring cleaning, throwing a handful of games up for sale today through May 9: 3D Classics: Kirby's Adventure, Dillon's Rolling Western, Pushmo, Fluidity: Spin Cycle and Tokyo Crash Mobs. Also on sale right now is Code of Princess, down from $40 to $30, and Level-5's Guild 01 collection is still cheap now through May 30.

Kirby's Adventure and Pushmo are each $5 (originally $7), Dillon's is $7 (originally $10), Fluidity is $8 (originally $11), and Tokyo Crash Mobs is $5 (originally $6). The Guild 01 collection includes Liberation Maiden and Crimson Shroud – each $5, down from $8 –​ and Aero Porter, which is $3, rather than the $5 standard.

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