‘Hard Times’ expansion includes four new, incredibly challenging puzzle levels: ‘Container Chaos’, ‘Shaft Shuffle’, ‘Brainyard’ and ‘Assembly Line’. These levels were created as a response to fans that found the original stages a bit too easy. The ‘Hard Times’ content is designed to use all of the existing game mechanics, with an emphasis on puzzle-solving as opposed to combat, and offers a difficult test for even the most experienced players.

Hard times is currently available on Steam.

A full package with DRM-free Rochard builds (Windows, Mac, Linux), the original soundtrack, Hard Times and Steam keys (Hard Times Steam key is being added) can be obtained from the Humble Store:

Today Recoil Games is excited to announce brand new upcoming DLC for its critically acclaimed puzzle-platformer Rochard. Titled ‘Hard Times’, the new content will be available soon and includes four new, incredibly challenging puzzle levels: ‘Container Chaos’, ‘Shaft Shuffle’, ‘Brainyard’ and ‘Assembly Line’. These levels were created as a response to fans that found the original stages a bit too ‘easy’. The ‘Hard Times’ content is designed to use all of the existing game mechanics, with an emphasis on puzzle-solving as opposed to combat, and offers a difficult test for even the most experienced players.

Rochard features a modest hero, nefarious villains, big explosions, even bigger stunts and hilarious one-liners. The game allows players to change gravity at will to solve environmental puzzles and advance through each level. By using the main tool of the game, the upgradable G-Lifter, players can lift and maneuver boxes and heavy objects around the environment and can eventually swing, jump and propel themselves huge distances throughout each level.

The ‘Hard times’ DLC is available soon for Rochard on Windows PC, Mac, and Linux on Steam. The original Rochard is also available for download on PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network.

Recoil is releasing their first game on iOS this week, the brand new Rock Runners. Leveraging their experience in the genre, Recoil set out to make the perfect touch screen platformer. Rock Runners is a hybrid ‘runner-platformer’ game, featuring over 140 sophisticated levels and instantly accessible one-touch controls. Gamers barrel through trap-filled caverns as they attempt to collect three stars and make the perfect run. The game is broken up into chapters, each consisting of up to 50 different levels that offer various paths for players to progress through. The game features dazzling 3D visuals, a groovy soundtrack and exciting gameplay, and Recoil plans on supporting it with chapter updates after launch.

For more information on Rock Runners, visit http://chillingo.com/games/rock-runners.

There’s now a page for Rock Runners on Facebook. Reviews and further information will be posted there.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

CES — NVIDIA today announced Project SHIELD, a gaming portable for open platforms, designed for gamers who yearn to play when, where and how they want.
Created with the philosophy that gaming should be open and flexible, Project SHIELD flawlessly plays both Android and PC titles. As a pure Android device, it gives access to any game on Google Play. And as a wireless receiver and controller, it can stream games from a PC powered by NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX GPUs, accessing titles on its STEAM game library from anywhere in the home.

“Project SHIELD was created by NVIDIA engineers who love to game and imagined a new way to play,” said Jen-Hsun Huang, co-founder and chief executive officer at NVIDIA. “We were inspired by a vision that the rise of mobile and cloud technologies will free us from our boxes, letting us game anywhere, on any screen. We imagined a device that would do for games what the iPod and Kindle have done for music and books, letting us play in a cool new way. We hope other gamers love SHIELD as much as we do.”

Project SHIELD combines the advanced processing power of NVIDIA Tegra® 4, breakthrough game-speed Wi-Fi technology and stunning HD video and audio built into a console-grade controller. It can be used to play on its own integrated screen or on a big screen, and on the couch or on the go.

Tegra 4 at Its Heart
At the core of Project SHIELD is the world’s fastest mobile processor, the new NVIDIA Tegra 4, which delivers enormous power from its custom 72-core GeForce GPU and the first quad-core application of ARM’s most advanced CPU core, the Cortex-A15. These, combined with its battery-saver core and energy-saving PRISM 2 technology, deliver hours of gameplay on a single charge.

Windows and Android Games
Windows and Android are the world’s most successful computing platforms, with massive ecosystems of system and software developers. While not specifically designed for gaming, both open platforms have drawn gamers by the millions. Project SHIELD is designed to allow them to enjoy Android and Windows games in a new, exciting way.

Project SHIELD can instantly download Android games, including Android-optimized titles available on NVIDIA’s TegraZone™ game store, which has already delivered more than 6 million downloads to gamers. It can also be used as a wireless game receiver to a nearby PC equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 GPU or higher.

Console-Grade Controller
Project SHIELD’s ergonomic controller was built for the gamer who wants ultimate control and precision.

Retinal Gaming Display
Brilliant gameplay and video are provided by Project SHIELD’s integrated 5-inch, 1280×720 HD retinal multitouch display, with 294 dpi. Plus, Tegra 4 with Direct Touch technology gives it touch responsiveness that is a more consistent, accurate and smooth-flowing touch input experience than a standard touch device.

Tuned Port, Bass Reflex Portable Speaker System
Deep, rich audio is critical for a great gaming experience. And Project SHIELD provides fidelity and dynamic range never before available on a portable device, through its custom, bass reflex, tuned port audio system — with twice the low-frequency output of high-end laptops.

Project SHIELD can also access Android apps such as Hulu, Netflix and Slacker Radio, so users can enjoy their movies and music anywhere without expensive, clumsy wired or wireless speakers.

Support by Leading Industry Analyst
Patrick Moorhead, president and lead analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, said: “The market has waited years for a breakthrough gaming device that offers the flexibility, quality and total enjoyment of Project SHIELD. Few companies other than NVIDIA have the vision, guts and deep gaming experience to have pulled this off.”

Support by Leading Game Developers
Yves Guillemot, co-founder and chief executive officer of Ubisoft, said: “Ubisoft is always excited about new hardware developments, and Project SHIELD promises to bring both mobile and PC gamers a great new gaming experience. Seeing the PC version of Assassin’s Creed III run on the device is a great example of this, and further strengthens Ubisoft’s long-standing relationship with NVIDIA.”

Mark Rein, vice president and co-founder of Epic Games, said: “With Project SHIELD, NVIDIA brings an uncompromising, high-performance console experience to mobile devices. Amazing games including Real Boxing and Hawken, which utilize the latest Unreal Engine technology, look fantastic on Project SHIELD. This is just the beginning, and we’re truly excited to see what more Unreal Engine developers will do with so much horsepower in such a compact gaming device.”

Bill Wagner, chief production officer at Meteor Entertainment, said: “Coming from the openness of a PC platform, we love how accessible Project SHIELD is, and the flexibility it gives gamers everywhere. Project SHIELD gives us the cutting-edge ability to bring a huge free-to-play PC game like Hawken to the handheld gaming audience.”

Support by Broader Industry
“Shadowgun and Dead Trigger showed how Tegra can redefine mobile gaming on Android. Project SHIELD’s performance has allowed us to bring an even better experience with Dead Trigger 2, debuting first on Tegra 4 devices. Our fans are going to love it.”
- Marek Rabas, chief executive officer of MADFINGER Games

“Project SHIELD has changed how we approach mobile game development. Tegra 4 helped us create Bloodsword — a new game debuting with the highest resolution textures, graphics and shading we’ve ever seen on a portable device.”
- Seunghee Do, co-founder at OneQ Soft

“We are very excited to be part of Project SHIELD, and are quite amazed by the gaming potential of this device. Project SHIELD is by far the fastest mobile device we’ve worked on and it lets us put console quality graphics on a handheld device.”
- Stine Waern, chief executive officer at Ravn Studio AS

“Thanks to Project SHIELD’s performance, we’re able to use the same quality textures and shaders in Rochard as on the PC version. We’re super excited to bring Rochard to Project SHIELD, the first time it’s ever been playable on a mobile device.”
- Jan Achrenius, chief executive officer at Recoil Games

“Put simply, Project SHIELD is an amazing leap forward, enabling us to create console-quality visuals previously unthinkable on a mobile platform.”
- Arden Aspinall, chief executive officer and project lead at TickTock Games Ltd.

More information is available at shield.nvidia.com.