What is Windows Home Server?

TMNT: Out of the Shadows trailer and artwork revealed

Andrew Edney

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Apr 25, 2013

As TMNT: Out of the Shadows prepares to launch this summer for Xbox LIVE Arcade, the PlayStation Network, and PC via Steam, Activision Publishing, Inc. and Red Fly Studios are shining a light on each of the varied personas that make up this formidable team of half-shell heroes. Today’s trailer goes behind the bandana of the Turtles’ youngest, most agile member: Michelangelo.

Always ready with a punch and a punch line, the orange-draped Michelangelo puts a literal spin on the phrase “party animal.” He’s a fun-loving foodie with an appetite for goofing off instead of training. But despite his light-hearted tone and distaste for confrontation, Mikey is no less committed to the cause than his older brothers, whom he looks up to as role models.

True to his energetic and light personality, the nunchaku-wielding Michelangelo possesses by far the highest attack speed of any of his Turtle brethren, but also the lowest single target damage rating, standing in stark contrast to the more balanced stats of Leonardo. Mikey relies on his ability to evade damage and quickly build up combos and special moves to take down foes before they can return the favour.

Here is the trailer:

AMD Catalyst Software Suite Version 13.4 Released

News

Andrew Edney

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Apr 25, 2013

0

If you have an AMD graphics card you might want to update your AMD Catalyst Software Suite which is now at version 13.4.

AMD Catalyst 13..4 for Windows:

This particular software suite updates the AMD Catalyst Display Driver and the AMD Catalyst Control Center / AMD Vision Engine Control Center. This unified driver has been updated, and is designed to provide enhanced performance and reliability.

Feature Highlights of AMD Catalyst 13.4

Support added for AMD Radeon HD7790 and AMD Radeon HD 7990
Catalyst Driver optimizations to improve performance in Far Cry 3, Crysis 3, and 3DMark
Significantly improves latency performance in Skyrim, Boderlands 2, Guild Wars 2, Tomb Raider and Hitman Absolution
Performance gains seen with the entire AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series for the following:
- Batman Arkham City (1920×1200): Performance improvements up to 5%
- Borderlands 2 (2560×1600): Performance improvements up to 10%
- Quake Wars (1920×1200): Performance improvements up to 13%
- Hitman Absolution (2560×1600): Performance improvements up to 11%
- Wolfenstein MP (1920×1080): Performance improvements up to 11%
- Civilization V (2560×1600): Performance improvements up to 5%
Delivers support for the following OpenGL 4.3 features:
- GL_ARB_compute_shader
- GL_ARB_multi_draw_indirect
- GL_ARB_shader_storage_buffer_object
- GL_ARB_arrays_of_arrays
- GL_ARB_clear_buffer_object
- GL_ARB_ES3_compatibility
- GL_ARB_explicit_uniform_location
- GL_ARB_fragment_layer_viewport
- GL_ARB_invalidate_subdata
- GL_ARB_program_interface_query
- GL_ARB_shader_image_size
- GL_ARB_stencil_texturing
- GL_ARB_texture_buffer_range
- GL_ARB_texture_query_levels
- GL_ARB_texture_storage_multisample

The AMD Catalyst 13.4 driver can be downloaded from here.

Parallels Desktop for Mac updated to build 8.0.18483.860857

Andrew Edney

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Apr 25, 2013

0

If like me you run Parallels Desktop for Mac version 8, then there is an update for you.

This update for Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac includes:

– Better compatibility with new iMacs.

– Create Boot Camp virtual machines on new iMacs with 3 TB hard drives.

– Create virtual machines from the Boot Camp partition with Windows 8 installed.

– Support for Fedora 18.

– Fixed visual artefacts when changing screen resolution in a Windows 8 Pro virtual machine with more than 256 MB of video memory and nested virtualization enabled.

– Resolves an issue with the Command + click combination not opening links in new tabs in Windows browsers (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.).

Go download the update now.

Real-life couple married in the first UK zombie-themed wedding for Dead Island Riptide

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Apr 25, 2013

1

On Tuesday evening two people joined in unholy matrimony in the UK’s first wedding to feature a zombie bride and groom, which was the centerpiece of the celebrations for the launch of new zombie videogame, Dead Island Riptide.

Jennifer Blackmore (nee Jones), 27, looked resplendent as she shuffled down the aisle in her tattered wedding dress, to be greeted at the altar by her now husband, Rob Blackmore, 31. The couple were made up to look like the undead creatures normally found shuffling and preying on the living in a Hollywood zombie apocalypse movie.

Over 250 people gathered to bear witness to zombie Jenn and zombie Rob’s nuptials, including friends and family who travelled down from Liverpool to see the couple get hitched zombie-style. The pair became the official Dead Island Riptide zombie wedding bride and groom after entering a competition on Facebook, and beat off dozens of applicants earlier this year by impressing the judges with their genuine love for each other, and enthusiasm for the Dead Island franchise.

The unorthodox wedding ceremony took place at One Mayfair in London, which was dressed to look like a Caribbean paradise gone to hell – a theme that runs through the Dead Island series of games. The latest of which, Dead Island Riptide, goes on sale in the UK this Friday, 26^th April 2013.

Following the wedding blessing and exchanging of the vows presided over by a zombie priest, the ceremony went on to provide the usual trappings found at a traditional wedding, including: the speeches, cutting of the cake and the first dance… but all with a ghoulish zombie twist. Live music was provided by zombified band Mariachi Mexteca (they are the ones on the Doritos adverts), as well as a DJ set from presenter and actress Sarah Chapman.

Jennifer Jones, Dead Island Riptide zombie bride, said:

“We’re thrilled to have been chosen to be the official zombie bride and groom for Dead Island Riptide! We’re big fans of Dead Island and the horror genre, and a zombie wedding is a dream come true for us.”

As well as hosting a zombie-style beach wedding, Dead Island Riptide’s publisher, Deep Silver, will also be sending the undead couple off on a Caribbean honeymoon.

Dead Island Riptide is out now for the PlayStation 3, for Xbox 360 and for Windows PC.

Sony Playstation 3 System Software Update 4.41 out now

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Apr 25, 2013

0

Sony has released an update to the Playstation 3 system software, taking it to version 4.41.

It is a minor update to improve system stability.

Remember that some games and applications force you to have the new update before you can play them so make sure you update now instead of having to sit around and wait when you really want to use it!

App Update: Amazon updates Kindle app for Windows 8 and Windows RT to version 1.1.3.1

Andrew Edney

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Apr 24, 2013

0

Amazon today updated their Kindle app tailored for Windows 8 and Windows RT.

Customers around the world can now download this free app and enjoy Amazon’s selection of over 1.5 million books at the best prices, including over 200,000 exclusive titles. Kindle books are “Buy Once, Read Everywhere” – customers can read Kindle books on any Kindle e-reader or Kindle Fire, as well as on iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, Android phones and tablets, in web browsers with Kindle Cloud Reader and now on Windows 8 devices.

What’s New in 1.1.3.1

– Fixed a registration issue for customers with multiple Windows 8 devices sharing the same Windows Live account.
– Fixed a registration issue with special characters in the account password

Download now from the Windows Store

Have you downloaded it yet? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

App Update – Injustice: Gods Among Us updated to version 1.1

Apple

Andrew Edney

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Apr 24, 2013

1

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today updated their Injustice: Gods Among game for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

Developed from the ground up by award-winning NetherRealm Studios, this free-to-play mobile game delivers stunning graphics and a completely unique fighting gameplay experience created especially for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

The console version will also be available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 now with the Wii U following soon.

The Injustice: Gods Among Us mobile game features a collectible card mechanic and engages players in 3-on-3 tag team combat that pits many of DC Comics most popular icons such as Batman, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Aquaman and more against one another. Fans who also own the forthcoming Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions will be able to unlock content in the console versions that will be available in the mobile game, and vice versa, by registering for a Warner Bros. ID (WBID) account and playing the game.

Version 1.1 includes:

Daily bonuses for logging in.
Added support for Japanese, Chinese and Korean languages.
UI improvements including a new and improved Match Results Screen.
Minor bug fixes/performance improvements.
Slight adjustments to difficulty, like the Sinestro boss fight we heard so much about…

The Injustice: Gods Among Us game is available from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch or at AppStore.com/Injustice.

And don’t forget to check out our review of Injustice: Gods Among Us and watch me enter Arkham Asylum below:

Bethesda reveal more about The Evil Within

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Apr 24, 2013

0

Bethesda have revealed more information about their forthcoming game The Evil Within.

Developed by Shinji Mikami — creator of the seminal Resident Evil series — and the talented team at Tango Gameworks, The Evil Within embodies the meaning of pure survival horror. Experience a disturbing reality as you try to break free from warped machinations that could only exist in the most horrifying worlds. Face twisted creatures and experience true terror, all heightened by cutting edge lighting and animation made possible by a customized version of the id Tech 5 engine.

While investigating the scene of a gruesome mass murder, Detective Sebastian Castellanos and his partners encounter a mysterious and powerful force. After seeing the slaughter of fellow officers, Sebastian is ambushed and knocked unconscious. When he awakens, he finds himself in a deranged world where hideous creatures wander among the dead.

Facing unimaginable terror, and fighting for survival, Sebastian embarks on a frightening journey to unravel what’s behind this evil force.

Key Features:

Pure Survival Horror Returns

Shinji Mikami, the father of survival horror is back to direct a chilling new game wrapped in haunting narrative. Tension and anxiety heighten dramatically as you explore the game’s tortured world. You’ll have limited resources at your disposal as you fight for your survival and experience profound fear in this perfect blend of horror and action.

Brutal Traps and Twisted Creatures

Face unthinkable horrors and cruel traps as you struggle to survive against overwhelming odds. Turn evil against itself by using the same diabolical devices against overwhelming deadly creatures.

Unknown Threats in an Uncertain World

Mysterious and wicked fears loom ahead in a world that warps and twists around you. Corridors, walls, doors, and entire buildings change in real-time, ensnaring players in a reality where threats can appear at any time and from any direction.

The New Face of Horror

Highly-crafted environments, horrifying anxiety, and an intricate story weave together to create an immersive world that will bring players to the height of tension. Defeat insurmountable terror and experience the ultimate thrill by discovering The Evil Within.

The Evil Within will be released in 2014 for PC / Xbox 360 / PlayStation 3 system / Next generation consoles.

App Update: Xbox SmartGlass for iOS version 2.5

Apple

Andrew Edney

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Apr 24, 2013

0

Microsoft have just updated their SmartGlass app for iOS, taking it to version 2.5.

Use Xbox SmartGlass to enhance your entertainment on Xbox 360.

Xbox SmartGlass lets your device work with your Xbox 360 console to bring rich, interactive experiences and unique content about what you’re watching or playing, right to the device that’s already in your hand. Interact with your favorite TV shows, movies, music, sports, and games, and bring remote control to a whole new level.

You can also connect with your Xbox friends, track and compare your achievements, and change up your 3D avatar.

What’s New in Version 2.5

Bug fixes

Download now from the Apple App Store

Xbox Ultimate Collection Launches Today

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Apr 24, 2013

2

Starting today, Xbox introduces the Ultimate Collection – your opportunity to discover and explore a collection of the most popular Xbox LIVE Arcade titles.

The Ultimate Collection is an eight week programme which brings together 30 XBLA titles across six genres, including Action & Adventure, Combat and Sports. There’s an interactive leaderboard of titles, making it the perfect way to create and share your Ultimate Collection of online games.

What’s more, every fortnight the Xbox community will be encouraged to vote between two great XBLA titles to join the Ultimate Collection, with the winner then available at a 50% discount for a full week – so make sure you vote for the title you want to be included.

Don’t miss your chance to explore and vote on the Ultimate Collection here.

The Lord of the Rings Online Helm’s Deep expansion unveiled

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Apr 24, 2013

0

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment unveiled today The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm’s Deep, the next expansion to the award-winning free-to-play massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) developed by Turbine. Helm’s Deep will continue the Epic Story into the western plains of Rohan, allow players to take a direct role in the battle for Helm’s Deep and advance the level cap to 95.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE: HELM’S DEEP FEATURES:

Experience the Battle for Helm’s Deep – Fight to defend Helm’s Deep starting at level 10, as your character enlists as a soldier in the Battle of the Hornburg, the most massive conflict yet in The Lord of the Rings Online. Earn rewards for your contribution to the war effort – win or lose, your aid makes a difference!
Explore new landscapes across Western Rohan – Explore the Westemnet of Rohan and rally each of the five Ridings as Rohan returns to glory. Traverse the capital of Edoras, mysterious Dunharrow, and the fortress of the Hornburg, deep within Helm’s Deep.
Advance from levels 85 to 95 – Experience 10 new levels, from 85 to 95, with new skills and completely updated class specializations. Both mounted and un-mounted combat will challenge you as you war against the evil of Saruman.
Continue the Epic Story – Encounter beloved characters such as Aragorn, Éowyn, and Éomer. Restore King Théoden to his rightful lordship and defend the peoples of Rohan at Helm’s Deep.

The Lord of the Rings Online is the ultimate adventure! This award-winning free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places, and monsters from the most famous fantasy of all time. For more information, visit www.lotro.com.

Audio Notetaker 3 Brings Manageable Audio Notes

News
Tech

Andrew Edney

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Apr 24, 2013

0

Version 3 of Audio Notetaker brings business-friendly features, including simple audio annotation, transcription tools and presentation capture.

We all have important conversations that we would like to hear again, which is why Digital Voice Recorders are widely used in business. Yet the files created remain difficult to work with and getting value from them is a time consuming process. Sonocent Audio Notetaker makes working with recorded audio a simple and efficient process, and offers new ways to record presentations, conversations and conference calls.

Taking notes during calls, presentations or other business activities is a valuable and necessary thing to do. But it can interrupt the listening process, which of course is as important as keeping notes. Audio Notetaker lets users record presentations and conversations in a simple visual way, annotating it with a few key presses. There is minimal distraction while recording, and maximum usability of the recorded audio.

Instead of the single stream of information you get with standard audio, Audio Notetaker splits your recording up into individual phrases and displays them on screen as bars – creating a visual representation of speech. Editing tools allow individual phrases to be colour coded and specific segments to be sectioned, edited and moved to help structure and organise the recording.

Version 3 not only enables the user to have a visual and interactive platform to record audio, it also offers one easy-to-access hub which stores slides, images, text, audio recordings and other notes all together. It can be an aid to learning many business skills such as note taking, speech analysis and presentation practice.

Audio Notetaker is available now from www.sonocent.com. Pricing starts at £80 ex VAT and volume licences for business are also available. Thirty-day trials can also be downloaded.

NVIDIA releases new GeForce 320.00 Beta Drivers

Andrew Edney

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Apr 24, 2013

0

The new GeForce 320.00 beta driver is now available to download. An essential update for gamers jumping into this month’s latest releases, today’s driver ensures maximum system compatibility and performance in games such as Dead Island: Riptide, Neverwinter, and Star Trek: The Videogame. 320.00 beta also boasts performance improvements of up to 20% in Tomb Raider, 20% in DiRT Showdown, 8% in Assassin’s Creed III, 6% in Far Cry 3, and 5% in BioShock Infinite.

320.00 beta also features SLI profiles for Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, Dead Island: Riptide, Neverwinter, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, GRID 2, and Remember Me, as well as updated profiles for Natural Selection 2, Resident Evil 6, and TrackMania² Canyon.

You can download the GeForce 320.00 beta drivers with one click from the GeForce.co.uk homepage. Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8 packages are available for desktop systems, and for notebooks there are Windows 7 and Windows 8 downloads that cover all non-legacy products.

If you have a technical issue please report the problem through the NVIDIA Display Driver Feedback Form.

Additional Performance Improvements

As mentioned in the intro, 320.00 beta boosts performance improvements by up to 20% in Tomb Raider, 20% in DiRT Showdown, 8% in Assassin’s Creed III, 6% in Far Cry 3, and 5% in BioShock Infinite. In addition, there are over a dozen extra optimizations for titles both old and new, as detailed below.

Please note that performance improvements benefit all GeForce GTX graphics cards, though obviously to varying degrees. We would of course love to show how our optimizations benefit the entire range of GeForce GTX GPUs, but sadly this is unfeasible given the number of benchmarks required. If you test the changes out at home on hardware not represented in this article please share your results with the community via the Disqus comments and GeForce.com Forums.

GTX 680

Game Settings & Results:

Deus Ex: Human Revolution: Performance increased by 5.6% at 1920×1080 using max settings and FXAA High.
DiRT Showdown: Performance increased by 20.2% at 2560×1600 using max settings and 8xMSAA.
Far Cry 3: Performance increased by 3.1% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 4xMSAA.
Metro 2033: Performance increased by 6.2% at 2560×1600 using High settings and AAA Anti-Aliasing.
StarCraft II: Performance increased by 10.9% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 8xMSAA.
Tomb Raider: Performance increased by 9.5% at 1920×1080 using Ultra settings and FXAA, and by 17.9% at 2560×1600. Using Ultimate settings and FXAA, performance increased by 11.3% at 1920×1080, and 20.1% at 2560×1600.

GTX 680 SLI

Game Settings & Results:

Assassin’s Creed III: Performance increased by 3.7% at 1920×1080 using Very High settings and Very High Anti-Aliasing.
Batman: Arkham City: Performance increased by 5.8% at 1920×1080 using Very High settings, High Tessellation, and FXAA High.
BioShock Infinite: Performance increased by 4.3% at 2560×1600 using Very High settings.
Crysis 3: Performance increased by 3.5% at 1920×1080 using max settings and SMAA MGPU (2X).
Deus Ex: Human Revolution: Performance increased by 5.9% at 2560×1600 using max settings.
DiRT Showdown: Performance increased by 20.5% at 2560×1600 using max settings and 4xMSAA.
F1 2012: Performance increased by 4.9% at 2560×1600 using max settings and 4xMSAA.
Far Cry 3: Performance increased by 4.1% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 8xMSAA.
Just Cause 2: Performance increased by 5% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 4xMSAA.
Metro 2033: Performance increased by 9% at 2560×1600 using High settings and AAA Anti-Aliasing.
Shogun 2: Total War: Performance increased by 3.7% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 4xMSAA.
Sniper Elite V2: Performance increased by 5.7% at 2560×1600 using max settings and AA High. With 2.25x Supersampling enabled, performance increased by 4.5%.
StarCraft II: Performance increased by 13.6% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 8xMSAA.
The Witcher 2: Performance increased by 3% at 2560×1600 using max settings.
Tomb Raider: Performance increased by 11.2% at 1920×1080 using Ultra settings and FXAA, and by 18.5% at 2560×1600. Using Ultimate settings and FXAA, performance increased by 7.4% at 1920×1080, and 17.2% at 2560×1600.

GTX 660

Game Settings & Results:

Deus Ex: Human Revolution: Performance increased by 4.5% at 2560×1600 using max settings and FXAA High.
DiRT Showdown: Performance increased by 19.6% at 2560×1600 using max settings and 8xMSAA.
F1 2012: Performance increased by 4.8% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 4xMSAA.
Far Cry 3: Performance increased by 6% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 4xMSAA.
Hitman Absolution: Performance increased by 3.7% at 1920×1080 using high settings.
Metro 2033: Performance increased by 6.3% at 1920×1080 using High settings and AAA Anti-Aliasing.
Sleeping Dogs: Performance increased by 3.3% at 2560×1600 using Extreme settings and Normal AA.
Shogun 2: Total War: Performance increased by 3.4% at 1920×1080 using max settings.
Sniper Elite V2: Performance increased by 4.8% at 1920×1080 using max settings and AA High. With 2.25x Supersampling enabled, performance increased by 5.5%.
StarCraft II: Performance increased by 8.5% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 8xMSAA.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Performance increased by 3.3% at 1920×1080 using max settings.
Tomb Raider: Performance increased by 11.3% at 1920×1080 using Ultra settings and FXAA, and by 17.8% at 2560×1600. Using Ultimate settings and FXAA, performance increased by 16.6% at 1920×1080.

GTX 660 SLI

Game Settings & Results:

Assassin’s Creed III: Performance increased by 8.5% at 2560×1600 using Very High settings and Very High Anti-Aliasing.
Battlefield 3: Performance increased by 3.6% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 4xMSAA.
BioShock Infinite: Performance increased by 5% at 2560×1600 using Very High settings.
Civilization V: Performance increased by 7.3% at 2560×1600 using max DirectX 11 settings and 8xMSAA.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution: Performance increased by 5.6% at 1920×1080 using max settings.
DiRT Showdown: Performance increased by 16.9% at 2560×1600 using max settings.
Far Cry 3: Performance increased by 5% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 8xMSAA.
Just Cause 2: Performance increased by 5% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 4xMSAA.
Metro 2033: Performance increased by 8.5% at 2560×1600 using High settings and AAA Anti-Aliasing.
StarCraft II: Performance increased by 7.1% at 1920×1080 using max settings and 8xMSAA.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Performance increased by 8.9% at 2560×1600 using High settings.
Tomb Raider: Performance increased by 10.2% at 1920×1080 using Ultra settings and FXAA, and by 18.2% at 2560×1600. Using Ultimate settings and FXAA, performance increased by 9.9% at 1920×1080, and 16.8% at 2560×1600.

Other 320.00 Beta Highlights

New & Updated SLI Profiles

Alien Fear – Added SLI profile
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger – Added SLI profile
Dead Island: Riptide – Added SLI profile
Dragon Sword – Added SLI profile
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon – Added SLI profile
GRID 2 – Added SLI profile
Human Head 2 – Added SLI profile
Natural Selection 2 – Updated SLI profile
Neverwinter – Added SLI profile
Remember Me – Added SLI profile
Resident Evil 6 – Updated SLI profile
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct – Added SLI profile
TrackMania² Canyon – Updated SLI profile

Bug Fixes

320.00 introduces bug fixes for several game-related issues, seen in titles such as APB: Reloaded, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Crysis 3, DiRT 3, Red Orchestra 2, StarCraft II, and Tomb Raider. For full details please check out the release notes on the driver download page.

You can download the GeForce 320.00 beta drivers with one click from the GeForce.co.uk homepage.

Watch the launch trailer for STAR TREK The Video Game

Andrew Edney

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Apr 24, 2013

0

Watch the launch trailer for STAR TREK The Video Game

STAR TREK The Video Game is out this week and we have the launch trailer.

Here is the launch trailer:

Check out our recent interview with Brian Miller below:

The action-packed combat game is set to launch in the UK & EU on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC April 26th, prior to the May 17th theatrical release of Star Trek Into Darkness. The game is based on a stand-alone storyline that continues the adventure of iconic characters Kirk and Spock as they work together to stop the legendary ‘Gorn’ enemy race bent on conquering the galaxy.