1UP has reported that Roogoo and Aces of the Galaxy will be making its way to Xbox Live Arcade this week.

Both titles will be available this Wednesday for which Roogoo and Aces will cost 800 Microsoft Points each.

Codemasters has released the first images of Race Driver: GRID, previously known as Race Driver One, for the PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The game is scheduled for a 2008 release.

Hit the jump for some highlights or visit the link to view more images.

1. Nintendo DS - 78,599
2. PSP - 59,714
3. Wii - 37,617
4. Xbox 360 - 17,673
5. PlayStation 3 - 17,434
6. PlayStation 2 - 10,209
7. Game Boy Advance SP - 206
8. GameCube – 155
9. Game Boy Micro - 113

1. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) - 251,000 / New
2. Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (Xbox 360) - 77,000 / New
3. Final Fantasy Tactics A2 (DS) - 51,000 / 193,000
4. Super Robot Wars Scramble Commander The 2nd (PS2) - 21,000 / New
5. DS Bungaku Zenshuu (DS) - 18,000 / 72,000
6. DS Nishimura Kyotaro Suspense Shin Tantei Series: Kyoto Atami Zekkai no Kotou - Satsui no Wana (DS) - 18,000 / 115,000
7. Wii Sports (Wii) - 16,000 / 2,182,000
8. Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day (DS) - 15,000 / 676,000
9. World Soccer Winning Eleven DS Goal x Goal! (DS) - 15,000 / 44,000
10. Pokémon Mysterious Dungeon: Time Expedition Party (DS) - 14,000 / 552,000

Time Ace has a suggested retail price of $29.99 and is rated “E10+” by the ESRB.

With every Sony PlayStation console launch there is a new Ridge Racer game and that is no different with the PlayStation 3. The game is, for all intents and purposes, a quintessential way for Sony to show off the power of their new system. Ridge Racer 7 does a pretty good job of it by giving players familiar racing, but it all comes at a cost as there is nothing really new to the series.

If you’ve never played the Ridge Racer series before, this title makes it very easy to pick up and play. The same formula that has been popular for six games already comes back for a seventh. The entire game relies on your ability to drift. All you have to do is hammer on the accelerator and then pull off when you hit a turn. At this time, the back end of your car will slide through the turn. This is essentially what the entire Ridge Racer game is all about and there is no question that it does that well.

Along with that though, the series has developed a bit by featuring a full career. Career mode includes a variety of car manufacturers with plenty of cars to unlock. You’ll start by going through trials to earn a chance to buy cars to race in the Prix. As you delve deeper, you’ll earn fame and money and that in turn allows you to unlock more cars from a single manufacturer or unlock a variety of different types of cars. By sticking with one manufacturer though, it allows you to obtain better cars down the line. Aside from all of that, there are special races and more to keep you busy. All of this results in approximately 40 cars and 20 courses you’ll be able to play with. Courses can be reversed too which adds a new spin to the existing levels.

One nice addition not seen in the game before is the inclusion of car customization. In this mode, you’re allowed to do a variety of upgrades to your vehicle including engine, suspension, nitro, and more. You’ll also be able to pimp out your ride by making visual alterations like spoilers, wheels, paint jobs and side skirts.

As for the online mode, it is very impressive allowing you to play in up to 14-player races. There is a nice variety of competitions here including time attack, ranked matches, co-op racing and more. You also have the ability to bring your customized vehicles online. Overall the online experience is a good one for Ridge Racer 7 and should provide plenty of replay value.

Finally, you can’t talk about the game without discussing the impressive graphics. When you first look at the title, Ridge Racer looks stunning and that’s because it is. The lighting effects are terrific and the game does give you a great sense of speed going at nearly 200 miles per hour. At this tremendous speed, you’ll still notice the nice touches in the game given to the cars and environments around you.

One problem with Ridge Racer is the fact that they still have not obtained official license from car manufacturers. There are no Lamborghini’s, Honda’s, or BMW’s; instead you’ll have knockoffs and for any driving fan that is disappointing as it’s nice to play with real cars. There still is no damage in the game, meaning you can slam into the walls without it dramatically affecting your ride, but it does slow you down.

The only other big problem is the audio, which doesn’t quite match the rest of the game. The voice acting is average at best and the soundtrack in the title is filled with electronic pop which isn’t terrible, but nothing on the audio side of the game is particularly memorable.

Ridge Racer 7 does a good job showing off the graphical capabilities of the PlayStation 3 with stunning visuals. The game continues to feature solid arcade racing action with a pretty deep single-player campaign and a full online component. The only problem for Ridge Racer is the audio which is less than stellar, but in the end Ridge Racer 7 makes an impressive debut on the PlayStation 3 and is worth a look even if it is just to drool over.

The drifting formula Ridge Racer is known for is as good as ever.

The cars, environments and lighting are all very well done.

Soundtrack is solid with a nice variety, but none of it or voice acting is especially memorable

Ridge Racer 7 is fun, but there’s very little new to the series here.

Plenty to do, particularly with a deep single-player experience and 14-player online mode.

]]> Mon, 27 Nov 2006 17:29:00 -0600 Tim Grube http://www.gamebump.com/go/tgs_2006_ridge_racer_7_screenshots http://www.gamebump.com/go/tgs_2006_ridge_racer_7_screenshots http://www.gamebump.com/go/tgs_2006_ridge_racer_7_screenshots# This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Namco Bandai today released eight screenshots of Ridge Racer 7 for the PlayStation 3. There is no release date as of yet, but we can probably expect it around the launch of the new console in November.

]]> Thu, 21 Sep 2006 16:15:00 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/space_empires_v_announced_for_pc http://www.gamebump.com/go/space_empires_v_announced_for_pc http://www.gamebump.com/go/space_empires_v_announced_for_pc#

““Space Empires V” is a community driven game that puts players’ in total control of their universe,” said Don McFatridge, President of Strategy First. “Malfador Machinations’ are committed to their fans. This game is completely customizable by the players’ themselves. “Space Empires V” will give all space strategy enthusiasts exactly what they want - action, excitement and the ability to make the game their own.”

“We’re thrilled to bring “Space Empires V” not only to fans of the previous games, but to an entire new generation of gamers,” said Aaron Hall, President of Malfador Machinations. ““Space Empires V” is our most beloved title, and our entire team is working hard to stay true to what makes this franchise so great.”

The game is scheduled for release in early 2006.

“With Faces of War™, Ubisoft is bringing an intensely exciting title to PC gamers,” said Jay Cohen, vice president of publishing at Ubisoft. “The game brings an enhanced human and emotional element to the World War II genre and delivers breathtaking detail and spectacular game play.”

Faces of War is developed by Best Way and will be available in March 2006.

Namco has formally announced and released the first screenshots of Ridge Racer 2 for the PSP, which can be viewed below. Little information is available on the game at this time, but what is known is that the game will be released in Q4 2006 and will offer almost three times as much content as the previous PSP version, including new modes, cars, and tracks, along with more of the classic powersliding that made the series so popular.

More information will be released soon, so stay tuned for it as soon as it becomes available.]]> Tue, 04 Jul 2006 14:44:00 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/codemasters_announces_race_driver_06_for_psp http://www.gamebump.com/go/codemasters_announces_race_driver_06_for_psp http://www.gamebump.com/go/codemasters_announces_race_driver_06_for_psp# Codemasters has announced the upcoming release of Race Driver 2006 for the PlayStation Portable.

The game will be an expansion of the TOCA Race Driver series with real cars, damage and physics. Race Driver will feature 21 car races along with 12 over multiplayer WLAN. There will also be a wide variety of races to play like rally cross, V8 supercars, super truck racing, stockcar oval racing and ice-racing to name a few. Race Driver will include a Trans-World Cup mode that'll test your skills and a full career mode.

Race Driver 2006 is scheduled to release for the PlayStation Portable this May.

Of course, Vivendi picked up Al Pacino's likeness, but have yet to announce if they have also obtained his voice. Actors who's voices are confirmed include Steven Bauer, Robert Loggia, Jay Mohr, Chech Marin, James Woods, Miguel Sandoval, Robert Davi, Michael Rappaport and Michael York.

Cindy Cook, chief strategy and marketing officer for Vivendi said, "Al Pacino brought the character of Tony Montana to life onscreen in a very powerful way, and the inclusion of his likeness as Tony Montana is a critical component to the authenticity of the Scarface game experience."

Scarface: The World is Yours is scheduled to release for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC. We'll have more on the game as Gaming Horizon heads to E3.

Namco Bandai today released six brand new screenshots of Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception for the PSP. Check them out below!

]]> Tue, 02 May 2006 11:58:00 -0500 Brian Mohr http://www.gamebump.com/go/ace_combat_zero_the_belkan_war_flies_to_retailers http://www.gamebump.com/go/ace_combat_zero_the_belkan_war_flies_to_retailers http://www.gamebump.com/go/ace_combat_zero_the_belkan_war_flies_to_retailers# This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Namco Bandai Games has announced that they have shipped the PlayStation 2 flyer Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.

The game is a prequel to Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War and takes players 15 years into the past to play through events that led to the Belkan War. In the game, players take on the role of a mercenary pilot who is helping the country Ustio from an invasion by Belka. The Belkan War features licensed planes and 18 missions to battle through along with multiplayer dogfights to take on friends.]]> Wed, 26 Apr 2006 23:10:00 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ace_combat_zero_the_belkan_war_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ace_combat_zero_the_belkan_war_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ace_combat_zero_the_belkan_war_ps21# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Evan Lahti.

Just a year after the PlayStation 2’s launch, Ace Combat 4: Shattered Skies broke next-gen ground for cockpit-jockeys and fans of Namco’s series alike. During its initial release, the game represented some of the sleekest graphics available on consoles, combining high-polygon plane models with breathtaking backgrounds and atmospheric effects. Following the equally strong reception of Ace Combat 5, Namco is making one more strafing run at aero-savvy gamers with Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War. 

Set a decade and a half prior to Ace Combat 5, players find themselves in the midst of an accelerating regional crisis that has transformed into a larger-scale military conflict. After some of its territories succeeded years earlier, the Principality of Belka drifted into economic collapse, and a fascist party assumed leadership of the once-prosperous nation. For six years following this event, Belka invested heavily in its military, forging new technologies and a range of super-weapons. Things finally come to a breaking point in 1995 when Belka invades its newly-independent neighbors, seeking to take control of valuable natural resources. With the help of allies from other nations, wingmen, and a cascade of aircraft, you’ll help restore peace and counter Belka’s aggressive acts.

More specifically, gamers will hit the cockpit as "Cipher" in Ace Combat Zero, a mercenary hired by Ustio (one of Belka’s bordering victims), but much like AC4, only a small amount of emphasis is placed on the player’s character. Instead, much of the story develops via interview-style cutscenes with enemy pilots, giving players input about their performance and their foes as well. This type of exposition is something Namco has pulled off well since AC4, in which the developer combined an anime-styled storyline with excellent voice-acting and classical music by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. Expect the same sort of quality in Zero. 

Another thing aero-enthusiasts can look forward to is the bevy of licensed planes, jets, and multirole fighers onboard for Ace Combat Zero. More than 35 pilotable aircraft, including MiGs, the F-35, F/A-18 Hornet, A-10 Warthog, and Sukhoi 37 are unlockable, each with realistically-represented capabilities in maneuvering, speed, and payload. Players will have to choose between planes depending on mission objectives they’ll have to complete, but they’ll also need to equip their fighter with the right ordinance to get the job done. Bomblet dispensers, burst-missiles, napalm bombs, long-range air-to-air missiles, and guided bombs are among those available in the game, as each aircraft has as many as three special weapons that can be purchased for it.

Finally, the most significant feature Namco has planned for Ace Combat Zero is the inclusion of the “ace gauge system". In combat, radar will recognize objects as either mission objectives, hostiles, or neutral. After a mission, depending on which targets they 've destroyed, players receive a “mercenary,” “soldier,” or “knight” ranking. Each archetype represents a different playing style, but it also determines which Belkan “ace squadron” (a group of the enemy’s superpilots) you’ll be pursued by in battle as well as the game’s ending.

Though this component should boost Zero’s replay value, aside from the campaign, a versus mode is also available with seven stages, while an instant action option remains sadly absent from the series. Nevertheless, what Namco has gathered for Ace Combat Zero should be enough to make it a worthwhile buy. 

While AC5 didn’t exactly represent a great leap forward from AC4, both games were incredibly enjoyable, packed with replay value and wrapped in high-quality presentation. We’re used to sequels repackaging the same gameplay and story, but Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War looks to be a worthy update for fans of the series as well as a dynamic title for newcomers. The additions Namco has in store this time around don’t seem to be mere gimmicks, but exciting improvements to an already high-flying franchise.]]> Mon, 24 Apr 2006 10:07:31 -0500 Tim Grube http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_flatspace_2_screenshots http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_flatspace_2_screenshots http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_flatspace_2_screenshots# This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

If you didn't catch our story earlier about Flatspace 2 releasing today then you can head on over there by clicking here. But to go along with the story, we now have four new screenshots in our database. Take a look!

]]> Tue, 31 Jan 2006 15:46:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_space_hack_pc http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_space_hack_pc http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_space_hack_pc# This review was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Chuck Landry.

Space Hack is a new budget-priced hack-and-slash RPG game in the vein of Blizzard’s famous Diablo titles.  Rather than magic and dungeons, Space Hack opts for the futuristic sci-fi setting of a prisoner-filled spacecraft that has crash-landed and being overrun by aliens.

Rebelmind is a small Polish developer, and due to some spotty translation I’m not entirely clear on the storyline for Space Hack.  But as far as I can gather, Maximus XV is a huge cargo ship that transports biospheres.  Now, I’m not sure if these biospheres are prisons or if prisoners simply are put to work on the ship, but the end result is the same nonetheless – the spacecraft is filled with prisoners.  One such prisoner, cruelly named “Space Hack” by his parents, is an ex-military man who must save everyone else when the ship gets sucked in by a black hole and crashes.  Your job is to get through all 15 of the ship’s biospheres (now overrun by alien hordes) and reach the only thing that can save your fellow humans.

For a ship full of inmates, things get organized into a society rather quickly after the crash.  You’ll start off in an enclosure in the middle of a forest environment, where the humans have erected a makeshift headquarters.  From here you’ll receive your quests, find shops and a medic, and use the teleporter to travel quickly back to an area you’ve already been to.  You’ll come back here quite a bit, as it’s the only place to purchase health packs.  You’ll also need to frequently barter for better swords, guns, armor, and other special upgrades because your inventory space is very limited.

Combat is incredibly straightforward.  You can play the entire game with nothing but the mouse and the “H” key for health.  Point and click where you want to go, and click on a target to attack it.  It doesn’t get any simpler than that, folks.

The action is presented in from an overhead view similar to many RPGs that came before.  You can rotate the camera and zoom in and out using a mouse wheel, but the camera is always fixated on Space Hack.  You can choose to attack your enemies with swords, a bow and arrows, or firearms.  There are several variations of each which require you to have different skill levels before you can wield them.  As you stomp forward in the game, beating mercilessly on aliens, you will gain experience and with each level increase you’re given five skill points.  You may choose to disperse them as you wish between Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, and Knowledge, depending on how you want to focus your skills.

All in all, the creators of Space Hack claim it should last about 50 hours of solid playtime.  Normally that’s a good thing, but in the case of Space Hack, I must say I can’t imagine having to play it for that long.  After less than an hour, I could already tell it was going to be incredibly repetitive (and five more hours didn’t change that impression).  Now, I understand all about retro gaming, “getting back to the roots” of old school gameplay, but some things are better left in the past.  Space Hack is just tedious after 30 minutes.  The entire game seems to consist of pressing forward through horde after horde of bug-like aliens until you run out of health packs, then backtracking to headquarters to sell your excess inventory and stock up on more health packs only to press on a little further.  Repeat ad nauseam.

The controls are actually over simplified.  When all you have to do is click to fight, walk, change weapons, make purchases, etc., it gets old very quickly.  As simple as the controls are, the game is actually still tough, but not in the good way.  Rather than having an actual challenge, say, figuring out a strategy or finding the key to a puzzle, the biggest strain will be on your patience.  It’s just annoying to have to backtrack.  It would have been nice not to need to return to base so often, but you’re never well-enough equipped to advance very far in one run.  They try to alleviate some of that by letting slain aliens occasionally drop items, and you’ll run into field after field of green, pod-like alien incubators that you can strike in the hopes of finding either money or a health pack.  They may as well have made them crates, and we all know no game is fun that makes you bash endless seas of boxes only to find an item in 1 out of 10 of them.

The graphics in Space Hack don’t do anything to advance the genre, either.  They aren’t bad, especially at the maximum resolution.  You’ll see some real-time lighting, full shadows, and some special effects, but the textures are kind of soft looking.  Even with the effects, the game looks like it was made a few years ago.  The polygons that show, for instance, where sand ends and grass begins, are completely flat.  There’s nothing but the drawing on the flat ground texture that changes sand to grass.  Don’t expect bump or normal mapping or any of that flair.  On the plus side, the game was deigned with the intent of being able to run on older machines, and because of that, it should run decently on a system equipped with a GeForce 2. 

I keep trying to remind myself that Space Hack sells for a cheap price at $20.  And at that price, it really isn’t all that bad of a game.  It’s not that it does anything wrong (even the repetitiveness was likely intentional) because it’s not trying to be anything groundbreaking.  Personally, I’m not entertained by its gameplay because it takes little to no focus or attention to play through it.  But where’s the fun in that?  This is probably one I’d only recommend to players with old machines who can’t upgrade and are bored playing web-based flash games.

It’s simple…but too simple.

The graphics aren’t groundbreaking, but they aren’t ugly either.

The squishy sound of pulverizing an alien is cool, but only the first 100 times.

It’s better than hitting a penguin and seeing how far it goes, but not much.

I don’t foresee anybody playing this twice. No multiplayer, either.

]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2006 11:54:00 -0600 Tim Grube http://www.gamebump.com/go/xbox_360_console_sales_are_low_in_japan http://www.gamebump.com/go/xbox_360_console_sales_are_low_in_japan http://www.gamebump.com/go/xbox_360_console_sales_are_low_in_japan# This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

"There is just one reason for the slow sales -- the postponement of the launch of the 'Dead or Alive 4' game," Munetatsu Matsui, editor-in-chief of "Famitsu Xbox 360", said in a news release, adding that about 61.5 percent of his readers had planned to buy the highly anticipated game.

Ridge Racer 6, which was released by Namco, was the most popular title at launch followed by Perfect Dark Zero. Ironically, while gamers in Japan are barely short of ignoring the console's release, gamers in the US are still struggling to even find Xbox 360s to purchase, although a new shipment of units is rumored to be arriving at Best Buy stores across the nation on December 18. As usual, we'll keep you updated.]]> Tue, 13 Dec 2005 12:38:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/space_hack_goes_gold http://www.gamebump.com/go/space_hack_goes_gold http://www.gamebump.com/go/space_hack_goes_gold#

“We are very pleased with the North American version of Space Hack. The game was very successful in Europe and we know that with its highly addictive gameplay, it will do very well over here.” said Andrew Sher, CEO at Meridian4, “We are looking forward to its online and retail release in the coming months.”

Space Hack will be available on November 15th, 2005 in all major retail stores at $19.99 and is rated Teen by the ESRB.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with so many prestigious publishers on this project" said Graham Chambers, Sales Director at Digital Jesters. "Crazy Frog Racer has given us the opportunity to extend our relationships with our European partners and looks set to be our best selling and most popular title to date".

Crazy Frog Racer features 12 tracks, 3 cups, 3 different multiplayer modes and the opportunity to play as one of eight unique playable characters including The Annoying Thing.

The Ridge Racer series is almost as old as videogames.  Alright, that may be an exaggeration, but Ridge Racer games have been around since the original PlayStation and yet another incarnation of the popular series is due for the launch of the Xbox 360 next month.  Ridge Racer 6 will be Microsoft’s first foray into the Ridge Racer realm and marks a slight victory for the company as they have been able to get a game from yet another company that was formerly a Sony exclusive title.

Ridge Racer 6 seems to follow the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy since the gameplay in the new title seems relatively untouched when compared to past Ridge Racer games.  Sure there are a few new modes, new tracks and new cars, but Ridge Racer 6 certainly doesn’t mark any kind of major shift in the series.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing since the Ridge Racer series is one of the more popular racing series to grace consoles and will certainly persevere into the foreseeable future.

In the Ridge Racer titles, gamers drive cars in an arcade style race, complete with over the top physics and lots of speed.  The new iteration of the series uses a primarily first-person view, but that can also be switched to a rear bumper view with the touch of a button.  A key feature of the game is “power sliding” - using the emergency brake to take corners at an exceedingly high rate of speed.  This creates some high-speed, tension-filled races where cars are sliding all over the track and hitting each other all while vying for the lead.

Ridge Racer 6 does incorporate a few new features.  While details are still scarce, here’s what is known about the game thus far.  There will be over 130 vehicles and 30 circuits in the finished version of the game, more than in any previous Ridge Racer title.  The 360 title will also include the same 3 tier nitrous system used in the PlayStation Portable version of the game.  Another key feature of the game will be Xbox Live functionality.  Gamers will be able to download content, possibly new cars and courses, off of the Xbox Live Marketplace, as well as compete with other gamers worldwide.  One multiplayer mode that has been announced is global time attack, which allows gamers to attempt to beat course records set by other players from across the globe.  Head to head races against as many as 10 other players are also anticipated.

Since this is a 360 title, the game will also feature an advanced graphics engine.  Reflections, polygon counts, and blur effects will all be considerably better than what has been seen in previous Ridge Racer titles.  The demo shown at the Tokyo Game Show wasn’t a showstopper in terms of visual quality, but since this game is still in development, I’d like to err in favor of cautious optimism that this game is going to look great.  Right now the game has a solid framerate, which bodes well for continued development on the title.

Ridge Racer 6 sticks to the tried and true Ridge Racer formula.  While not a bad thing, it also gives gamers a really good idea whether this is a game they want to invest their hard earned dollars in.  There are a few new features and the Xbox Live functionality sounds especially interesting, but whether or not a gamer liked prior versions of the series is probably an indicator of what they will think of Ridge Racer 6.  If you’re a fan of the series, Ridge Racer 6 looks to be the biggest, best looking Ridge Racer ever and fans will certainly enjoy being able to play against real opponents via Xbox Live. ]]> Thu, 27 Oct 2005 00:47:09 -0500