Cryptic Studios was nice enough to send over a series of new screenshots from their early 2010 title, Star Trek Online.  Currently the game looks like it is getting a lot more polish as it goes through the final stages of development.  Now if we could just get a price point, all would be well.

Check the jump for the rest of the screens.

Atari and Cryptic Studios have finally put a date on their upcoming sci-fi MMORPG, Star Trek Online.  People will be able to beam up to the Federation or Klingon side of battle come February 2nd, 2010.

Star Trek Online is set to offer players a full Star Trek experience, including captaining their own ship, creating their customized character, and even the possibility of creating their own race.  Star Trek Online will contain both ship to ship combat, as well as away missions which will give on foot combat. 

No word on whether there will be PvP battles, or even a pricing scheme for that matter.  We have heard something about two tiers, with a free basic tier and a premium tier, but nothing concrete on these details.  Also, Star Trek Online is releasing right on the heels of Mass Effect 2.  While the two titles sit in different game types, they attack the same genre, which might cause some problems.

Check the jump for more info from the Press release.

Atari to Ship Star Trek Online on February 2, 2010

Star Trek Online Offers Fans and Gamers Opportunity to Experience Beloved Star Trek Universe through Space and Ground Gameplay

NEW YORK, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ – Atari, Inc., one of the world’s most recognized videogame publishers, and Cryptic Studios(TM), creators of the acclaimed Champions Online, City of Heroes and City of Villains, announced today the highly anticipated Star Trek Online for PC is set to release on February 2, 2010 in North America and February 5, 2010 across Europe and Australia. This first-of-a-kind massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) will offer space and ground gameplay to fans and players.

“Star Trek Online is poised to become the ultimate Star Trek gaming experience,” said Jim Wilson, CEO of Atari, Inc. “Throughout the last four decades, Star Trek has been a mainstay in pop culture, influencing legions of fans through television, film, and more. Star Trek Online opens a whole new chapter and expands upon this incredible universe in 2010.”

Taking place in the year 2409, continuing the story of the latest film installment, Star Trek Online boasts extraordinary features and lets fans both new and old experience unparalleled adventures. Players will have the opportunity to become a high ranking Starfleet officer and will participate in missions that will take them into the depths of space, across exotic planets and even inside other starships. Star Trek Online offers total customization, where every ship players command can be customized, from color to construction. Additionally, anyone can create their own species in Star Trek Online, as well as customize the look of their avatar’s uniform.

For more information, please visit: www.startrekonline.com.

ABOUT ATARI, SA

Atari group is a global creator, producer and publisher of interactive entertainment for interactive game platforms that include PC, online, consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony and advanced smart phones (i.e. iPhone). Divisions of Atari, SA include Cryptic Studios, Atari London Studio, Eden Studios, Atari Interactive, Inc. and Atari, Inc.

Atari benefits from its global brand and an extensive catalogue of popular games based on classic owned game franchises (Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, Lunar Lander), original owned franchises (Test Drive, Backyard Sports, Deer Hunter), MMO games from Cryptic Studios (Star Trek Online, Champions Online) and third party franchises (Ghostbusters, Project Runway, Dungeons and Dragons).

For more information please visit www.atari.com.

© 2009 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.

Atari word mark and logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc.

About Cryptic Studios

Based in Los Gatos, CA, Cryptic Studios is a leading developer of massively multiplayer online games committed to delivering the next level of MMO gameplay. Cryptic develops AAA titles for PC and consoles, including Star Trek Online and Champions Online. For more information on Cryptic Studios, please visit the official website at: www.crypticstudios.com.

With Star Trek Online going into its closed beta phase, Atari and Cryptic were nice enough to send over a new batch of screenshots from the latest build of the game.  So far, the game is looking really good for an early build, and I am trying to find out who I have to buy off to get into the closed beta.

Check the jump for a dozen screens from Star Trek: Online.

No, I don’t have a Ghostbusters quote on hand to work into the post title. Please post your own in comments. Maybe the one about cats and dogs sleeping together.

IGN has posted what looks like an official Atari press release that details the multiple issues that the PS3 patch addresses. Available now, the patch increases the resolution on the PS3 to match what is seen in the 360 version of Ghostbusters. More importantly, “freezing issues” have been fixed. One assumes this covers the most notable glitch, the Game Video Locks Up During The Library Scene bug.

I did not know of this one, but apparently some messiness caused a couple of multiplayer Trophies from unlocking. That has also been fixed.

What the patch does not repair, I’m guessing, is the off-putting control scheme, the unnecessary rehash of events and dialogue from the first movie, and the clumsy did-you-miss-it saving error that Mike has alluded to on the podcast.

The press release AGAIN hypes up Harold Ramis and Dan Ackroyd as having “penned” the game’s script, even though Ramis revealed to ToyFare magazine some time ago that all they did was punch-up an existing script.

Source: IGN

When The Witcher was first released in Europe, it was a rather raw game, with a fair amount of female nudity in the game, in the form of playing cards that you received when you would bed a female.  However, when the game came to the US, Atari felt that there was no way that Americans could possibly handle the sight of bare breasts in a video game, so they decided to grab screenshots of Stephen and censor those cards.  Well maybe not with Stephen Munn’s face, but they did censor them with “strategic covering”

With two years past, it seems that America is finally ready for some video game nudity, and the patch will give US players the same game that the European audience has been playing for some time now.  Yay.  Of course, people could have just imported a European version of the game, but now you don’t have to worry about currency conversion!

Check the jump for the full press release plus links to the download if you already own the game.

DIRECTOR’S CUT OF THE WITCHER: ENHANCED EDITION NOW AVAILABLE IN NORTH AMERICA

Who: Atari, Inc., one of the world’s most recognized videogame publishers, announced today that new content will be available for The Witcher: Enhanced Edition for Windows PC.

What: The game as the developers, CD Projekt RED, intended with mature content only released outside of North America – until now! The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director’s Cut is now available for download at www.atari.com and other major digital distribution outlets. This new Director’s Cut content is available as both a patch for The Witcher: Enhanced Edition as well as a full game download.

The Witcher, originally released October 2007, has won more than 100 awards and has sold more than 1.2 million copies worldwide. The Witcher: Enhanced Edition brought the game close to perfection, with more than 5000 lines of re-written and re-recoded dialogue, more than 200 new dialogue animations, a new character differentiation system for NPCs, an enhanced inventory with improved alchemy, reduced loading times, improved combat responsiveness and two new adventures. AND NOW, with the release of The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director’s Cut, the game is available in its entirety to North American audiences.

When: The downloadable content is available starting today JULY 31, 2009

Where: The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director’s Cut game and patch are available at ATARI.com, Steam (steampowered.com), Impulse (impulsedriven.com) and Direct2Drive. The patch is also available at TheWitcher.com.

Why: Representing the pinnacle of storytelling in role-playing games, The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director’s Cut shatters the line between good and evil in a world where moral ambiguity reigns. In a beautiful, rich game universe, the player takes on the role of renowned monster slayer, Geralt of Rivia, in an epic, action-packed narrative in which his decisions have a major impact on how the story plays out. The Witcher emphasizes story and character development in a vibrant world, while incorporating tactically-deep real-time combat like few games before it.

In the latest video game iteration of the original Ghostbusters universe in almost 19 years, and to coincide with the twenty-fifth anniversary of the original movie, Terminal Reality has resurrected one of the most beloved cult-followed movies to be pried from the heads of Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. Have they crafted a phoenix, or did they manage only to dig up some zombies? Strap on a proton pack, and let’s get to bustin’ some ghosts and this review.

The story behind the game has been woven by the masterful hands of Ramis and Aykroyd, and the dynamic duo is able dust out the cobwebs for one more visit to the Big Apple infested with apparitions. As I already mentioned in the First Thirty, you fill the shoes of a new hire and are quickly thrust into the day, and night, job of seizing spirits. The story revolves around Gozer returning one more time in attempt to wipe out humanity. You’ll remember him as the ultimate evil from the first movie, especially when he takes his destructor form as the unforgettable Stay Puft marshmallow man. Unfortunately, the game and story almost completely ignore the second movie except for the appearance of a few props and the slime gun. This is a shame because at times it can feel like a shallow attempt to cash-in trying to rekindle the original fire. Luckily, in the end the game manages to find and stand on its own two feet.

I'm Vigo, the Carpathian, and one of few GB2 references... sigh.

The graphical presentation in the PS3 version is luscious, even if it is marred in comparison to the 360 version. Without trying to beat a dead horse, there are textures that are more akin to a mid-generation PS2 version than the current state of games on the PS3. Since they are limited to tertiary items there is no experience-jarring effect, just rather a let-down that makes it feel like the game was pushed out the doors to meet a deadline. The characters, ghosts, objects, and even environment models are nothing short of spectacular. The characters are almost drop-in replacements for the real-life counterparts as they would have been back in the mid-80’s. All of the ghosts, which there are quite a few different ones, are excellently rendered. It’s a shame that everything moves so fast because you don’t get a chance to truly appreciate the level of detail at times. The destructible environments is where it really shines. As in the movie, if you squirt your proton stream on something other than a specter, there will be burning, charring, or better yet destruction. Now, yes, somethings are off limits, but it’s the little details that pull you into the game world. Another nice feature comes packaged in loading screens that are ‘hidden’ by story-progressing videos, and luckily there aren’t too many loading screens in the game.

Sorry, Egon, this isn't Cash Cab

Audibly is where the game truly shines. With all of the original Ghostbusters reprising their roles, the magic has been captured. Out of all the quips, only a handful rise to the echelon of the original movies and could be routinely recited. The rest of the banter is still entertaining, funny, and what you’d expect to be mouthed by the boys in grey. The 5.1 sound aids greatly in tracking down the floating fighters since they will quickly change location. The background music throughout the game is almost wholly taken from the original movie soundtracks as composed by Ray Parker Jr. This undoubtedly completes the package of placing you right there next to Venkman, Egon, Stantz, and Zeddemore in 1984 (or 1989 if you prefer), standing hip-to-hip ridding the onslaught of poltergeists.

Great, now I'm stalked by music blaring disco dancing pants

It can’t go un-noted that this game is not without it its problems, and that the biggest gripe has to be the graphical glitches. The low resolution PS3 version is wholly inexcusable, and the game/system hobbling bugs are things to be expected from a 3rd-rate, shovelware, one-off, me-too game for the Wii. Now that’s out of the way, let’s pick on a few more little things. For one, the AI of the other Ghostbusters seems to be adaptive between the range of mediocre and dumb. At times they can help battle with the baddies, and then moments later they’re nothing more than cannon fodder that you must continually resuscitate. Dying consists of being knocked down, until you are revived by another character. This is a nice touch that becomes flawed when too often the computer controlled characters are already down, or getting picked off as they meander through the minefield to help you up. The difficulty of the bosses becomes painful, almost 1989-hard with its ‘cheapness’. When a single attack can wipe out you and/or the whole team it starts to feel like a quarter-munching arcade game from the 90’s. This is only further compounded by the load time after death. When you add a multi-minute load time, it’s nothing more than tedious. There are trophy/achievements for finding all the items through out the game. Too bad the only way to know if you’ve collected everything for a level is to finish it and then replay it. And lastly, while it is more than a handful of hours, the game is too short and definitely leaves you longing for more.

Overall, I really enjoyed Ghostbusters. Ignoring the major flaws, I’d say that it’s one of the best titles out so far this summer. The PS3 version must be fixed though. Right now Atari and Terminal Reality really need to step up, patch the game, and even issue a voluntary disc recall. It would be nice if they threw in some extra stuff as well to compensate for what can only be surmised as the pre-release/preview version of the game. If this does occur, I would wholeheartedly raise my review score, but until then it has been docked a full point and blasts in at 3.5 out 5 Aeropausonauts.

Check out Ghostbusters and other PS3 reviews at Test Freaks.

TinyMeat is a brand of wallet that UrbanRetro is now selling. The wallet you see here is one of the designs which were available on Etsy until very recently when they ran afoul of Etsy’s fees. Last time I checked we were waiting for them to scratch enough money together to get the store on Etsy reopened, so let’s look at this as your chance to help.

What’s weird is I’m sure when I got the wallet before, it was coming from the US. I’m not sure how much it costs to have one of these shipped from the UK to the US, but the base price is just shy of 13 Euros.

This wallet is mostly transparent. The pockets on the inside are all totally clear, and the only artwork is on the outer surface (on both sides of it), as you can see here. The seams at the edge of the pockets proved pretty durable over the years, but about six months ago they started to really come apart. This is my own fault, because I carry a ton of stuff in my wallet and the pockets in here are not very wide. Here’s the inside surface.

The wallet’s two strongest points are both visual. First, there’s the fact that most of the wallet is completely transparent, so if you keep your ID or anything else in the innermost pocket, it’s visible without taking it out. I got dozens of comments and compliments on this unique wallet while wearing it, and I got to explain the gaming-related art (such as the great Atari joystick) to a lot of people who probably didn’t care the slightest bit about video games.

The combination of unique style, functionality and durability mean I can’t help but recommend the wallet. Even after it was falling apart, I refused to throw it away for several months. When I was unable to get a replacement because of the store’s financial woes, I finally realized it was time to let go, but as I said before… I did notice it immediately in my e-mail. Let’s call it four and a half out of five, because it’s awesome, but needs more space in it.

If this design is not your style, you can check out the UrbanRetro store right now to see a number of their other neat ideas. I’ll do my best not to buy one, because I’ve already replaced my old one, but no promises.

Get this one here.

Today, Atari showed some lover for the DS version of the game, releasing half a dozen pictures of Ghostbusters in action on the popular handheld gaming device.  The graphics seem to follow the cartoony riff that is shown in the Wii version and it looks like you will be going through different type of game missions.  The screens show off some of the proton pack action, and there also seems to be some driving sequences as well.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game is coming to the Nintendo DS as well as all other platforms on June 16th, 2009.  Hit the jump to check out the other Ghostbusters DS screens.

Up till this point, we have received a lot of video footage for Ghostbusters The Video Game, but it has been for the 360, PS3 and PC versions of the game.  Now we finally have some extended footage of not only the game itself, but some of the control mechanisms that will occur in the game.  Ghostbusters The Video Game is coming to all platforms on June 16th, 2009.