| Dragon Nest prepares first official update Posted: 21 Oct 2011 01:29 PM PDT Dragon Nest’s first official (post-launch) update will go live on October 26, bringing with it Halloween events. To begin with, a new end-game boss will arrive to challenge players: Cerberus. This guardian watches over Black Mountain Path, and drops level 32 epic gear, plus crafting materials for the newly craftable Cereberus armor sets. Ghoul Mode will be the newest PvP mode to arrive, introducing the “Town of Silence” map where teams of up to eight must survive as humans, or destroy as ghouls. The week will also bring special Halloween events, including the ability to earn Halloween coupons (by hunting “Pumpkin Ducks”), which can be exchanged for helmet prizes. Dragon Nest is published by Nexon, which also publishes Vindictus and Dungeon Fighter Online.  Dragon Nest Gameplay Screenshot
Source: The Hellhound Comes to Dragon Nest Next Week A new nest encounter, PvP mode and Halloween-themed events to arrive soon Just in time for the frights and chills of the season, Nexon America's Dragon Nest will receive its first post-launch content update next Wednesday, Oct. 26. A new end-game nest encounter will open up, along with a ghoulish new player versus player (PvP) mode and a variety of Halloween-themed in game events and items. Cerberus, a monstrous three-headed canine and guardian of Hell, has been released from the Abyss. He now haunts the Black Mountain Path, and his presence is drawing adventurers from throughout the Northern Kingdom as they seek the beast's massive treasure hoard. Cerberus is known to drop level 32 epic quality armor and weapons, as well as materials used to craft the epic Cerberus armor and clothing. Additionally, defeating Cerberus on the new "Hell" difficulty level will yield level 32 epic quality accessories. Adventures in search of fame, fortune, and some of the most challenging achievements need look no further than this monstrous nest encounter. Players who enjoy PvP combat also have a great deal to look forward to next week with the addition of Ghoul Mode. Played on the new map Town of Silence, players will be split into two teams. The Ghoul team will try to kill and convert all of the untainted players into Ghouls, thereby assuring victory for the undead horde. The opposing team must try and survive the ghoulish onslaught, either by defeating all of the ghouls in combat or holding out long enough for the clock to tick down to zero. Played with a total of either four, eight, 12 or 16 players, Ghoul Mode offers up an entirely new type of PvP challenge for players wishing to test their combat prowess and tactics against their fellow adventurers. Characters of all levels will also get to enjoy the events of the season coming to Dragon Nest next week. Players can earn Halloween coupons by hunting Pumpkin Ducks in dungeons, and then redeem them for a variety of wearable pumpkin helmets. In the Dragon Vault, players who want to get into the spirit of the Halloween season will have a wide variety of new costumes to choose from. Dragon Nest follows the story of a band of adventurers as they battle the corrupt dragons and their followers in order to save Verathea, the once pure and beautiful world created by the goddess Althea. Players enter this world, join their friends and battle hordes of evil creatures and boss monsters bent on destroying Verathea. Dragon Nest is an online action RPG and is a recipient of IGN's Editor's Choice Award. Developed by Eyedentity Games, Dragon Nest is published by Nexon America in the United States, Canada, and Oceania. For the latest news and information on Dragon Nest and to download and play for free, visit http://dragonnest.nexon.net.
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| Cross Fire introduces Halloween update Posted: 21 Oct 2011 01:04 PM PDT A new update, all themed for the Halloween season, is now live in Cross Fire. A new Search and Destroy Map, “Ankara,” along with a Kriss Super V Liquid Metal SMG and Bushmaster ACR Rifle have made their introductions in this patch. The game now also supports 1680×1050 resolution. Several new limited-edition Halloween items are available, including a Witch’s Hat, Skull Helmet, Jackhammer Shotgun, and Melee Shovel. Ghost Mode, Zombie Mode, and Mutation Mode also award free Halloween items this weekend as part of the celebration. Cross Fire is published by Z8Games, which also publishes Metin 2.  Cross Fire Gameplay Screenshot
Source: FREE-TO-PLAY FPS CROSS FIRE GETS HALLOWEEN UPDATE Including Two New Maps, New Halloween Weapons, Items, and Events! Toronto, CANADA – October 20th, 2011 -G4BOX Inc., a North American publisher and distributor of interactive online entertainment media, released today a Halloween update for its free-to-play military shooter, Cross Fire. The free update features Halloween-themed weapons and equipment, a Halloween map, a new Search and Destroy map, a new display resolution, and more! For current players, the Halloween update will download automatically upon launching Cross Fire. New players can download and play the game for free from: http://crossfire.z8games.com Deck out your mercenary for a night of trick-or-treating with new weaponry including a Halloween-themed Gatling Gun, Jackhammer Shotgun, and Melee Shovel, or blend in amongst Cross Fire’s hordes of Zombies and Mutants with ghoulish new gear including a Pumpkin Mask, Skull Helmet, Vampire Mask, and Witch’s Hat. All Halloween items and equipment are available for a limited time only! The update also includes the new Search and Destroy Map “Ankara”, a Kriss Super V Liquid Metal SMG, a Bushmaster ACR Rifle, and a new 1680×1050 display resolution. In honor of All Hallow’s Eve, Z8Games is also hosting a slew of events and challenges. Are you a Ghost Mode ninja? Perhaps you’re more of a Zombie hunter or Mutant-murdering machine? Play Ghost Mode, Zombie Mode, and Mutation Mode this weekend and earn free Halloween items! For a full summary of all the events and new content included in the Halloween Update, visit: http://crossfire.z8games.com/new_content.aspx Cross Fire is a free online military first-person shooter for the PC platform. It includes a military ranking system, in-game friends lists, an integrated clan system, deep character customization options and social media integration via the Cross Fire website. More MAPS. More GUNS. More MODES. More HEADSHOTS. Join millions of players online today in the ultimate military FPS experience. Cross Fire is part of the Z8Games platform of free-to-play games. Cross Fire is free-to-download-and-play. Visit the Cross Fire homepage at: http://crossfire.z8games.com For more information about G4BOX visit www.g4box.com. For more information about the Z8Games lineup of games please visit www.z8games.com
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| Vindictus releases the Song of Doom Posted: 21 Oct 2011 12:40 PM PDT Episode 9: The Song of Doom has arrived on Vindictus’ servers, bringing with it new content and Halloween events. Hero mode has been introduced, starting in the sewers of Rocheste (Episode 7), where players can earn powerful enchantments if they survive. Four new bosses – Shining Shakarr, Black Hammer, Lionotus (below), and Colru – also make their debut, along with a host of new level 61 armor. In the spirit of the season, the daily quest will reward players for defeating thirty pumpkin-headed Fomors with a special title; trick-or-treat is available in Cohen; and a special quest for level 10 and above will grant a unique Halloween headpiece. Vindictus is published by Nexon, which also publishes Dragon Nest and Combat Arms.  Vindictus Gameplay Screenshot
Source: The Song of Doom Arrives in Vindictus, Just in Time for Halloween Episode nine introduces an additional hero mode dungeon, bosses, armor sets and enchants Today Nexon America 's award-winning physics-based action MMORPG Vindictus receives the Song of Doom content update, which adds all new features, challenges, and Halloween themed events. Players will be able to experience an additional dungeon on Hero mode, uncover the mystery in the new area Albey Ruins, and fight four fearsome new bosses that hold the materials to crafting powerful new weapons and armor. Players can now return to the sewers of Rocheste to battle the Lizardmen bosses from episode seven on Hero mode. Bosses like the mighty Ingkara have returned with a vengeance, and they now hold the keys to powerful item enchantments for mercenaries brave enough to defeat them. Additionally, four new bosses await veteran players, including Shining Shakarr, Black Hammer, Lionotus and Colru. Each boss is terrible in their own unique way, and players will have to band together to defeat them. Some of the rewards available from the Hero mode and Song of Doom bosses include long forgotten enchantments that have been recently unearthed to give players the edge needed to secure victory. New armor and weapons for level 61 heroes are also available to help players conquer their greatest challenges yet. As the season's mood grows more sinister, the landscape of Vindictus likewise evolves. Players who venture on the town's daily quest will spot Fomors appearing around Ainle with pumpkins on their heads. Defeating 30 of them will yield a distinctive title, and the end boss of the daily quest drops a special treat. Likewise, trick or treating in the town of Colhen for the strange traveler at the inn yields its own unique title. Additionally, players level 10 and above can accept a special quest from the strange traveler and battle Fomors in a race to destroy a giant pumpkin to receive a unique Halloween hat. For more details and to learn more about the latest events in Vindictus visit: www.vindictus.com.
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| Where Have all the Factions Gone? Posted: 21 Oct 2011 10:43 AM PDT It’s no secret that pretty much every single game that’s been released post World of Warcraft has shamelessly attempted to get a piece of that fat, steaming money-pie. And just about every single one has failed. Others succeed, but it’s clear that WoW set a new standard in terms of fundamental MMORPG design. You make quests, you add some writing, you make sure areas are diverse, you have both PVE and PVP elements, and you have two factions. Just about all of these are a step forward in terms of industry standard, and I’m surely not complaining. Except for one; why only two factions?  Is it really necessary for games to be this boring? Especially in PVP-centric games, having only two factions makes just about every single battlefield encounter woefully boring and uninspired. Two sides gather on opposite ends, clash, the end. Wouldn’t you rather see a third or fourth faction route the enemies while they fight amongst themselves? Exploit conflict? It’d make for a much more dynamic setting. Yet still, almost every game sticks with two basic factions, and at worst, they’re little better than "good vs. evil" in aesthetic. Angels versus demons? Orcs versus humans? Could it get any more boring than that? In the past, games like Dark Age of Camelot had multiple factions. I never played the game, but an ex-girlfriend of mine did, and she always raved about how interesting and fun it was. Among the games I’ve played that had more than one faction? Well, EVE Online, I suppose. Although the factions in that game really aren’t as fragmented and important as you’d think, given that it’s possible to basically fly with and against anyone you like. In EVE, there are as many factions as there are player corporations, and that, to me, is kind of cool. When you think about it, wouldn’t World of Warcraft been so much cooler if they’d added a third, neutral faction, like the Goblin Cartels, or something? Make it so players could join that faction from either side, so it doesn’t need to produce its own unique races and stand on its own? That would have been awesome. After all, not everyone likes being a part of the standard "us vs. them" arrangement of these games. There are, in fact, more complicated situations to be seen in reality, and even online. I just wish more developers would take a three faction approach as the minimum. Or wait, why not take it one step further? I’d just love to see more games in which guilds themselves can stake out and defend territory. Not that I’d play them, mind you, since I’m a grown woman and have no desire to be crushed by hordes of young adults who have nothing better to do than play the game for hours on end. Maybe that’s why I liked the EVE model so much – everyone leveled up at the same rate. Why can’t more games do this? It makes me sad. Are there any games with a more complex faction system that you’d like to mention? Or maybe there’s a game that you think could have a better system implemented? Talk about it! Throw around ideas! Just try not to hit anyone with them. By B. Olivia |
| Doom Commander returns to Global Agenda Posted: 20 Oct 2011 10:37 PM PDT Global Agenda agents, the time for Halloween events has arrived. The Doom Commander has arrived at Oasis Checkpoint, where players level 30 must protect the “cage of souls” until October 31. Players can earn special Halloween gear during this Defense Raid, and completing the raid will grant a guaranteed reward. Global Agenda is published by Hi-Rez Studios, which is also developing Tribes: Ascend and Smite.  Global Agenda Gameplay Screenshot
Source: The Haunted Recursive Colony is once again upon us! Doom Commander and his minions are bringing terror to the Oasis Checkpoint to satisfy their hunger for souls! Only the Agents of Dome City can save the world from the clutches of this evil horde! Level 30 Agents must protect the cage of souls at all costs from Tuesday, October 18th through Monday, October 31st. Collect special Halloween flair as you fight off the horde, and successfully complete this Defense Raid for a guaranteed reward! To help overcome Doom Commander, look out for some other orange names appearing throughout the event to fight alongside you!
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