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Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey launch copies to include bonus soundtrack
At some point, people are going to get spoiled by Atlus's (coincidentally named) "Atlus Spoils" program, in which the company includes some kind of bonus item with pretty much every game it releases. When the publisher doesn't release a game with an artbook or soundtrack or figurine or something, somebody out there is going to be irritated to buy just a game. That won't happen with Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, though. Atlus announced today that every launch copy of the first-person RPG will include a soundtrack disc. You'll have to wait a bit longer to get that launch copy: the publisher also announced that the release date has moved from the March 10 date found on Nintendo's Q1 schedule to March 23. %Gallery-77527%
Pre-order bonus: Put a touch of Dementium II on your wall
Would you like this on your wall? The first 1,000 people in the US and Canada to pre-order Dementium II at an "authorized retailer" (including Amazon and GameStop) and send their mailing addresses and scans of their receipts to: "dementiumii [at] southpeakgames [dot] com," will receive this poster, signed by Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham and Gregg Hargrove. Surely, there's room on your wall between the Muramasa scroll and the shelf you nailed up to rest your Mario lunchpail upon on its days off. The Dementium II poster was previously given away in a Halloween promotion, but was apparently popular enough among hand-from-face fans to warrant a return engagement. Speaking of Dementium II and creepy imagery, SouthPeak opened a teaser site for the horror sequel. You can visit it here ... if you dare! Which you probably do. %Gallery-78630%
Order Fallen Earth via Steam and improve your attire
Just because the world has come to an end and society is left to scramble around in the ruins doesn't mean you can't look dashing in the process. Fallen Earth has been on a bit of a kick lately of giving away clothing to purchasers of the game, starting with an astonishingly fetching hat, and now extending via the popular digital service Steam. Until December 3rd, those who purchase the game via Steam will receive a voucher good for a special t-shirt representing one of the game's factions -- CHOTA, Enforcers, Lightbearers, Techs, Travelers or Vistas. Each shirt qualifies as a piece of level 10 armor, with other stats that are appropriate to the faction in question. (Expect the Techs shirt to offer bonuses to crafting rather than combat bonuses, for example.) The vouchers can be turned in at any time, and should the player later decide they'd prefer to represent someone else, a shirt may be turned in and exchanged for another shirt as well. It's nothing game-breaking, but yet another added incentive to pick up Fallen Earth and see what all the fuss is about. Still not quite as good-looking as the hat, of course, but you have to draw the line somewhere.
Fallen Earth puts a feather in your hat for purchasing
It's always nice to get a little something extra for what you were planning on doing anyway. It's even nicer when the "little something extra" is something you would want on its own merits, at that. Fallen Earth has decided to give its new players exactly that variety of something extra: if you buy now through the official site, you will receive the lovely and (dare we say it) eminently pimptacular hat displayed to the right. The hat isn't enough reason for you? Well, clearly you aren't looking closely enough at the hat itself. You also might not know that the hat provides your character with Scavenging, Nature, Geology, and Social skill points just by donning it. It's a really nice hat. Lest we get carried away by gushing about the hat, however, it should be duly noted that the hat is also a limited-time offer for purchasers of the game, and is only being distributed by purchasing the game from the official site. So if you've been on the fence, this might be the time to get off the fence and get yourself a truly excellent hat for your troubles.
Subscribe to Age of Conan and receive The Secret World beta access
Funcom recently announced their plans to get older players back into Age of Conan and boost multi-month subscription rates. Players with inactive subscriptions are invited to retry the game for two weeks and receive a double experience bonus. Those who sign up for multi-month subscriptions will receive these additional bonuses: 3-month sub: Beta access to The Secret World 6-month sub: Beta access + in-game helmet that boosts experience gain by 10% 12-month sub: Beta access + helmet + a free copy of Conan expansion Rise of the Godslayer Age of Conan has received many updates in the year and a half since its release. However, MMO players can be an unforgiving bunch, so these incentives to give the game another shot are quite necessary. And it's extra-smart given all the excitement around The Secret World. Considering how many players would be willing to pay for beta access, a subscription to a vastly improved AoC is just icing on the cake. For those interested in catching up on AoC, check out the most recent game director's letter, new content, and revised subscription options. Have a burning question for Funcom about this or anything else? Ask it here. Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!
Phat Loot Phriday: Clemency
Umm, drool. This staff is so awesome it makes me want to go back to playing a caster. Name: Clemency (Wowhead, Thottbot, Armory) Type: Epic Two-hand Staff Damage/Speed: 280-518 / 2.10 (190.1 DPS) Attributes: +153 Stamina, +153 Intellect. Yes, that much. +86 Spirit, too. A Blue and a Red socket, with a +7 spell power bonus if you match both up. Remember, you don't have to if you don't want to, and this is certainly a socket bonus that's probably not worth going for. If you need an extra gem for your meta, this is probably the place to put it. %Gallery-33600%
Previous Ratchet & Clank saves unlock bonuses in A Crack in Time
For dedicated Ratchet & Clank fans, playing the previous two entries in the series is going to reward your devotion with a couple of unlocked bonuses in upcoming Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. Folks who played Tools of Destruction will receive discounts with weapons merchants and those who played Quest for Booty will be rewarded with a pirate hat, ThatVideoGame Blog reports. [Image Credit: PS Nation]A representative for Insomniac Games clarified for us that "You receive discounts on the returning weapons (Negotiator, Buzz Blades, Mag-Net Launcher, Mr. Zurkon, Groovitron Glove) for a Tools of Destruction save, and the pirate hat for Ratchet on the Community screen for the Quest for Booty save." Though neither bonus will dramatically affect time spent with A Crack in Time, it's always nice to see developers rewarding franchise loyalty.%Gallery-68684%
Army of Two: The 40th Day trailer previews 'Extraction Mode'
Curious whether Army of Two: The 40th Day's co-op "Extraction Mode" makes pre-ordering the game (thereby getting a one-month head-start with the new game mode) worthwhile? We suggest checking out the first glimpses of the co-op offering in the video above. Following in the vein of Horde Mode or Firefight, Extraction pits four players up against wave after wave of masked, gun-toting enemies as they move from checkpoint to checkpoint, attempting to escape the warzone. Teamwork is encouraged -- apparently, it's better to act as an Army of Four rather than Four Armies of One. Remember, one month after the game launches on Jan. 12, Extraction Mode will be free to download for anyone who didn't pre-order the title. This head-start may be enough to get your ire up, but can't we just be grateful they're not charging for this extra content? C'mon, we're already drowning in petitions over here. %Gallery-76274%
Dragon Age: Journeys bonus items transfer to Origins
You may have scoffed at the prospect of a flash-based, 2D version of BioWare's upcoming RPG epic, Dragon Age: Origins. "A browser game meant to simulate the deep, immersive emotions that arise when one plays roles," you may have said, mid-scoff. "Who would play something like that?" As it turns out, if you're looking forward to the full, three-dimensional version of Dragon Age, the answer to your query is simply: You. A short Q&A on the Dragon Age: Journeys developers' blog cultivated an enticing bit of info about the browser adventure: if you play through it while logged into your EA account, you can gain access to three items that will transfer over to your Dragon Age: Origins save file on Xbox 360, PS3 or PC. No details were given about the items in question, but we're imagining they'll either be used to help you slay dragons, or to help you become a more profound lover.
Spiritual Guidance: Priest tier 10 examined
Every week (usually), Spiritual Guidance will offer practical insight for priests of the holy profession. Your host is Matt Low, the grand poobah of World of Matticus and a founder of No Stock UI, a UI and addons blog for WoW. Tier 10 stuff is here! Okay, that shot above is tier 9. But we don't know what the tier 10 stuff looks like yet so I had to pick something! The tier 10 bonuses for healing Priests have recently been updated. We'll compare the before and after versions. They're expected to only be obtainable in Icecrown in patch 3.3.
Star Trek Season 3 Blu-ray includes Star Trek Online bonus costume
Do you want to die a whole lot during your first interstellar excursion in Star Trek Online? If not, we'd advise you not to dress yourself in the lowly, crimson vestments of a Starfleet security officer -- or, as they've appropriately been nicknamed, "Redshirts." It's a well known fact that most hostile extraterrestrials are bull-like in their profound hatred for the hue. Strangely enough, these same adversaries are placated by the garments of a Starfleet Admiral, inspiring them to give long soliloquies instead of, you know, murdering people. If the latter clothing choice sounds more in your wheelhouse, you'll be happy to know that a Starfleet Admiral outfit is being offered as a Star Trek Online bonus for purchasers of Star Trek: The Original Series Season 3 on Blu-ray, according to TVShowsOnDVD.com. Not only do you get sweet duds for your character when the game drops in early 2010, but the television episodes will allow you to brush up on other important pieces of Star Trek errata. For instance, you should never hug a Klingon -- or Vulcans, for that matter. In fact, just keep those deep space hugs to yourself, okay? %Gallery-69084% [Via Big Download]
Persona 3 Portable DX bundle bonuses revealed
Alright, look. When Persona 3 Portable is released in Japan, it's going to be attached to an exorbitantly large 6,279 yen ($68) price tag. As long as you're shelling out so much dough for the title, why not kick that total up to 8,495 yen ($92) and spring for the game's limited edition bundle? Siliconera recently uncovered the bonus items included in the aptly titled Persona 3 Portable DX bundle: A Persona-branded t-shirt (seen above), 12 PSP jacket-sized character posters, and a 2010 desk calendar. You know what would've been a great addition to this bundle? Some Persona 3 papercraft made out of three 1,000 yen banknotes. Now that's a collector's item.
Fallen Earth head start begins today
Despite the fact that the game's official launch has been pushed back to September 22nd, Fallen Earth's pre-order head start begins today at 2pm EST. So for anyone who purchased the game from their website for the special ATV mount, or purchased it through Direct2Drive for the warhorse mount, you get to play almost two weeks before everyone else!According to their official announcement, all special beta and pre-order items (including characters) have been reset, so you'll need to re-enter these codes once the servers go live. This is it, fellow wastelanders! The apocalypse is upon us.
Club Nintendo members to get 'exclusive artwork' this month
Some Nintendo fans are disappointed in America's Club Nintendo initiative. In spite of giving away free swag the company is completely not required to do, many found this year's Elite bonuses (a hat and calendar) a bit lackluster. Perhaps a new bonus, "exclusive" to Club Nintendo members will cheer the naysayers.Nintendo's Denise Kaigler teased IGN readers with this cryptic message: "Keep your eyes on the Club Nintendo Web site in September. That's when we will offer members some exclusive Nintendo artwork." To make the offer even more enticing, she emphasizes how super-secret it is. "For the reason I mentioned earlier, I can't say any more than that right now – it's a secret to everybody."Perhaps Club Nintendo members will be able to get a super-exclusive sneak peak at the next Zelda game? Probably not -- but your theories are certainly welcome!
Net a free Avatar shirt with the purchase of The Beatles: Rock Band
Specially marked boxes of the upcoming music title The Beatles: Rock Band include a unique bonus: an exclusive Avatar shirt. The freebie marks the first (and hopefully not the last) time Avatar apparel has been given away alongside the launch of a game, giving extra incentive for users to pick up a copy of the Xbox 360 version. Coincidentally, it'll make for a hilarious image when your Avatar shows up in Guitar Hero 5 donning a Rock Band promo t-shirt -- if Avatar apparel is able to show up in game, that is. Of course, this news only matters if your Avatar's dress code includes wearing band logo shirts. Our Avatar dress code allows only suit and tie, because we're gentlemen. Make sure to check out Major Nelson's Flickr page for details on how to spot the free bonus at retail.
Brutal Legend pre-orderers get in-game guitar, early demo access
It seems that those who've chained themselves to their couches in anticipation of the September-bound demo for Double Fine's upcoming rock god sim, Brütal Legend, won't be the first ones to get their hands on the game. Rather, unrestrained persons who manage to pre-order the game at their nearest GameStop will be granted early access to the demo on September 17. The pre-order deal mentions this early access beats the demo's normal release by a week -- meaning non-reservers will likely get the trial on Wednesday, September 23.Also bundled with the pre-order offer is a GameStop-exclusive in-game guitar, which possesses a "unique, sexy body inspired by the members of Tenacious D." We hope this means Jack and Kyle gave their input on what the guitar should look like, and not that the guitar actually looks like their bodies. We're doing just fine without that mental image, thanks.Update: While the demo access is new information, we actually knew about the gee-tar in May. We've even got a picture of it -- and we're happy to report it doesn't feature nude versions of K.G. and Jack. No, wait! There they are![Via Kotaku]%Gallery-41208%
Preorder A Boy and His Blob, get a blob
Now here's a novel idea: Preorder A Boy and His Blob at GameStop and receive ... a blob. Well, at least something that looks like the blob from the game's title. In actuality, it's one of those foam rubber stress-relief balls. Only shaped like a the blob -- and far more cute. Note that -- thankfully -- the bonus is just the blob and does not include a boy, foam rubber or otherwise. Girls who preorder the game also get the blob, but are able to claim they're "a girl and her blob," which would probably make a good title for the sequel. A Boy and His Blob is out on October 13 and looks gorgeous.
Heirlooms for every slot
I've been pushing forward on my Paladin lately, and so I've entered the wacky world of Heirlooms. I have already picked up the leather Heirloom shoulders (thinking that even though the Pally wears plate, if I ever want to level a Druid or Rogue, I'll have them), and I'm well on my way to grabbing the new Heirloom chestpiece as well -- 20% bonus XP, combined with a healthy amount of rested XP, should make the leveling curve as easy as it gets (RaF is nice too, I guess, but I'd rather not pay for a second account). So I'm in Heirlooms up to my neck (at least until they give us helms), and I was intrigued by this question over on the Rawrcast forums: do you think Blizzard will eventually provide Heirloom items for every slot?20% is already a significant bonus to killing and questing XP, and rested technically provides a 50% bonus. But with ten Heirlooms in 10 slots (we'll leave out weapons, since those don't have the 10% XP bonus, as well as shirts and tabards, and rings and trinkets for now), you're looking at a 100% XP bonus even without Rest. The current average 80 probably spent about 14 days leveling up, so with an extra 100% bonus, you're looking at seven days /played, or very close to the current record. At that point, Blizzard might as well let us grant levels to each other.
Champions Online offers $200 lifetime subscription, Star Trek Online beta access
The subscription plans for Cryptic's super-powered MMO Champions Online were revealed via a pre-order offer the developer just announced. Potential players who anticipate their prolonged enjoyment of the title can shell out $199.99 for a lifetime subscription to the game, while those desiring a less permanent commitment can sign up for a $59.99 six-month plan. Cryptic explained the latter would normally cost players $89.99 if paid for on a monthly basis -- seeing as how $90 divided by six equals $15, it's safe to assume that'll be the monthly fee for access to the game.Pre-ordering one of these two subscription plans nets players a whole slew of bonuses, the most desirable of which is access to the closed beta for Star Trek Online, which will take place "later this year." Both plans also garner players an in-game "art deco" costume set -- but lifetime subscribers also get the "retro future" costume set, an in-game Foxbat action figure, eight additional character slots and even an additional costume for STO which will appear in players' inventory at launch. In the business, that's what we like to call "The Works."[Via Massively]
Demon's Souls pre-order bonus gets even spiffier, 'importers devastated'
North American RPG fans have something to be even more to be excited about, as Atlus has revealed more pre-order bonuses exclusive to the region for its upcoming title Demon's Souls. Gamers who slap a down payment on the counter of their local retailer will receive a 40-page full-color art book and complete soundtrack of the game. The Demon's Souls soundtrack features 24-tracks of music from the upcoming From Software-developed role-playing game. For gamers worried their local game store employees may forget to throw in the bonus disc, Atlus has confirmed the soundtrack will be secured into the back of the art book. If you're looking forward to Demon's Souls -- and let's face it, you are because it includes two of your favorite things (Read: Demons & Souls) -- you may want to check this offer out.%Gallery-34304%
