Team Sollmo, the game development group of app and game publisher Company100, Inc., today announced the release of a major update for its popular free-to-play, single-player RPG Buddy Rush. Today’s Third Wave update includes several new characters, plenty of additional items, a fresh chapter full of missions, and a new Raid mode.

Raid is a new mode in which players will be able to bring along all of their created characters to attempt to conquer groups of increasingly difficult monsters. The higher the challenge, the greater the reward, as victorious players can win special new items. Players can start leveling and choose to bring along the two new characters, Skully and Toxy, to increase their chances for survival. Skully is a female pirate wielding two pistols, while Toxy uses poison-laced daggers to defeat her opponents.

The new characters and over 43 new costumes for existing characters are now available to play throughout the game, in addition to the new chapter, Kanbucay, a beach-themed map that features high-level content appropriate for the new level cap of 72.

To play Buddy Rush, visit the game on Facebook or download to your iOS device from the iTunes App Store.

For more information on Buddy Rush, please visit the official website athttp://buddyrush.sollmo.com.

About Team Sollmo

Team Sollmo is the game development arm of leading iOS games and app publisher Company100, based in South Korea. Developers of inventive mobile apps, Company100’s ultimate goal is to improve the quality of human life by enabling rich, easy and fast mobile internet. Team Sollmo is committed to continuing Company100’s tradition of innovative design and technical expertise, and was formed in March 2010 to build on their personal passions for gaming. The team’s first game is Buddy Rush, a cross-platform, casual RPG.

The initial focus of the partnership will be Facebook integration. For registration, the partners will use the social network’s user-friendly single-opt-in function, allowing every Facebook user to dive straight into the virtual world without having to complete any additional registration procedures. Once inside the social network, Runes of Magic can be played in either full screen or windowed mode without limiting any of the game’s functionality. The Kalydo team has already started with the technical implementation of the browser version. Frogster will show a first test version to selected media partners at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco from February 28th to March 4th. The publisher can be found in a shared booth with its parent company Gameforge in the North Hall of the Moscone Center, booth No. 702.

“We are expecting to see a marked increase in the numbers of players for Runes of Magic through this cooperation with Kalydo. Powered by the impressive Kalydo technology the browser version will enable us to attract new target groups who previously have found the download, installation and registration process too complicated”, commented Andreas Weidenhaupt, Chief Licensing Officer of Frogster Interactive Pictures AG on the signing of the contract.

Doki Tops, CEO of Kalydo agrees with him, “This is the future of gaming. Players enter the game with a single click of the mouse instead of spending hours on a download and installation and get the exact same experience. We praise Frogster for recognizing this potential and taking a leading role with us in pioneering this massive new style of gaming.”

Kalydo has already successfully incorporated the 3D role-playing game GodsWar into Facebook, which has gone from strength to strength.

About Kalydo
Developed by Eximion, Kalydo is a leading browser game middleware solution which enables embedding games, based on any game technology, directly into every browser and social network. Kalydo’s innovative and scalable way of deploying games takes away traditional barriers, such as the need to download and install software. Kalydo decreases distribution costs while increasing visitor-to-player conversion and revenues. Games can now be offered in a “click & play” fashion, bringing consumers a fantastic gaming experience from anywhere in the world. Based in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, Kalydo launched their public beta in 2008 before going commercially live in 2009.

Frogster – We take you to a new world!
The Frogster group is a Berlin-based, listed publisher of online games. Frogster focuses on the marketing and operation of virtual worlds, so-called massively multiplayer online games – one of the strongest growing sectors in the entertainment industry. With its top titles ‘Runes of Magic’ and ‘Bounty Bay Online’ Frogster has already gathered over 5 million registered players worldwide. For a release in 2011 Frogster has just recently announced the two highly ambitious MMO games ‘TERA’ and ‘Mythos’. Frogster also intends to enter into the rapidly growing market of browser games with ‘Bounty Bay Live’ and ‘Throne of Fire’ shortly. Currently the Frogster group employs more than 200 staff members in the fields of game development, licensing, IT, web design and web development, product management, marketing, PR, web publishing, community management, support, sales, hosting, billing and finance/administration. Frogster’s subsidiaries Frogster Online Gaming, Frogster America and Frogster Pacific market and operate their games in Europe, America and Oceania respectively. The shares of the Frogster Interactive Pictures AG have been listed in the Entry Standard segment of the Frankfurt stock exchange since February 2006. Internet: www.frogster.de

SG Interactive today unveiled details of the next planned Grand Chaseupdate, which includes a hotly anticipated new character and a fiery new Hero Dungeon. The new character, Zero, offers a new playing style with two distinct fighting stances that offer different benefits, one a defensive stance and the other an offensive stance that utilizes a giant, living sword. The new Hero Dungeon is called The Crucible and will challenge players to make it through a hellish furnace and defeat the new boss Hellstrom. Zero will be released March 8 and will be available for presale, with special bonus items, on March 1. The Crucible Hero Dungeon is available in-game now.

For more information about Grand Chase and Zero please visit the official website at http://grandchase.ntreev.net/

“After Land of Chaos Online, this is the next high-quality, free-to-play game that we will be releasing simultaneously in Europe and North America as a western publisher,” said Ingo Griebl, managing director of burda:ic.

“Forsakia is our first browser-only game. It provides players with an easy-to-access online RPG that is not only graphically impressive, but also includes complex features that have typically been limited to client-based games,” said Achim Kaspers, also a managing director of burda:ic.

Forsakia: The Lost Clans is set in Jianghu, a fabled land once governed by mighty clans that fell victim to a great tragedy. It is still unknown who or what caused their demise, but Jianghu has been immersed in chaos ever since. Now, it is up to the players to restore hope to this world by facing the powers of darkness, defeating monsters, and proving themselves as heroes.

Forsakia offers everything an RPG fan’s heart desires: player vs. player (PvP) combat, a pet system, six unique classes to choose from, guilds, individual houses for players to furnish, and much more. The huge, mysterious game world is brought to life with colorfully detailed graphics and experienced from an overhead, isometric perspective.

The upcoming launches of Land of Chaos Online and Forsakia are a key part of burda:ic’s plans to expand their alaplaya gaming portal. They hope to provide a targeted ten million users worldwide with up to ten high-quality MMO titles by 2011.

About burda:ic & alaplaya

burda:ic GmbH is a leading free-to-play PC online games publisher headquartered in Munich, Germany. burda:ic markets and distributes massively multiplayer online games (MMOG) such as Avalon Heroes, S4League, and Florensia. Its innovative alaplaya Gaming platform has continued to grow rapidly since its launch in summer 2007, with an expected 10 million registered users by end of 2010. More information about burda:ic is available at www.burda-ic.com.

So what is it that truly makes these Facebook mmo games so darn addictive?  The answer is simple my friend – they cater to your gaming “wants”.  For example, there are gamers out there who are just not into the World of Warcraft thing.  They don’t want to pay to play a game, yet they still want the mmo feel and ability to interact with other gamers.  Plus, they could care less about elves, orcs, and magic.  Throw out those things that they could care less about and give them something that they can get into – such as creating their own Mafia – and BAM!  Instant addiction.

Plus, these Facebook MMO games give you something that other mmo games don’t – the ability to get free stuff, free help – AND you don’t have to listen to all that annoying chat all the time… of course, that is great free entertainment.  Now you have an mmo game that everyone can play, yet they can get as deep into it as they want without drowning themselves in other people.  For me, this is great as it means that I can show off my gaming skills – yet not talk to anyone that day if I don’t feel like it.  I don’t even have to check my Facebook page if I don’t feel like “sharing” how I feel or what I’m doing.  But, if I feel the need, I can ask for goodies, send them to friends and so on.

Then you add in the fact that there are hundreds of different Facebook games out there that you can play, everything from fantasy games to building games to strategy games to goofy games, and you have at least one game that every single Facebook user will enjoy.  There is no shortage of things you can do with this.

Facebook games are easy to play, fun, and since they are played to your liking, in your own time frames, you can choose how well you do.  If you only want to play once a week, great.  Time your in-game items to only produce things that you can get when you login (such as using a two-day recipe in Cafe World or planting seeds that take 3 days to harvest).  It gives you so much freedom to be who you really want to be and still gives you the ability to chat it up with all of your friends.  You can’t beat that.

Plus, they are all browser-based mmo games, which means you can sneak them in at work and no one will know!  What could be better?!

So I can easily see why so many millions of people are addicted to Facebook games of all types.  I know that I surely am, and it’s much worse than any hold that World of Warcraft had on me.

Anyone that has played Evony will be comfortable right off with Empire Craft.  The basic game play is the same – build your city up to defend yourself against other hostile cities.  You can build a wealth of different buildings, from your tavern to iron mines to stores to city walls.  While it is a simple game to play, as you progress through the levels it will take longer to build and longer to get resources that you need to build.  I personally like these type of strategy games, combines a sim city building game with military strategy.

One of the things I noticed right off the bat is that it has a World of Warcraft feel to it.  You get to choose your race when you start: Human, Dwarf (that look like the Night Elves from WoW) and Orcs.  Then, you choose your name and you’re ready to rock.  You’ll go through quests to gain rewards of experience, resources, and more, and the beginning quests will help you learn what you need to do to get further in the game and protect yourself.

Those that are looking for the RPG feel in this will find that there is a great RPG base here.  Take into account the fact that the whole game is based in a fantasy feel, then add in that the players that love this game and play it regularly are into the role-playing aspect of building their own fantasy city.  The graphics only play into the overall feel of the game.  The players also offer a great deal of the RPG feel as well, even if most don’t seem to be hard core role players – they still play their part.  And, you will easily find that there are a ton of players that do take the game seriously, and take their parts seriously as well.  They play in clans/guilds that take their positions, their cities, and more as serious role play, even if this is a casual Facebook game.

While I really like Evony, Empire Craft is more my style as it’s more of a fantasy based game instead of just medeval style.  Same principle behind the game style, just different graphics.  And, there are also wandering monsters that you can take out as well.  I do have to build up a bit more before I can head out with my armies and heroes and take out any wandering monsters or take over any resources that are close to my city, but I’m sure that I will.

Although I just started playing Empire Craft, I will probably continue to play it for a while as I really like the fact that it’s browser based (nothing to download) and it’s a completely free mmo game.  Those out there that are looking for a new free mmo game to try out might check Empire Craft out on Facebook when you get a chance.

Included in the box are the game client on DVD and several exclusive collector’s items. Players will have access to a Manticore pet, to accompany them on their journeys, a printed manual and a poster-sized world map of Taborea. buyers will also have a time-limited mount at their disposal: a Thunder Wartiger.

To help players during their first steps in the game’s world, a starter kit worth more than 10 Euros is also included in the box. The experience potion, for example, will help players level faster for a period of time, a special carpet will enable them to decorate their in-game house, or they can use the materials included in the starter kit to improve their weapons and armor.

In August, Frogster will release the first set of features and content to the live servers and with the box, Frogster will finalize the multi-phase launch of Runes of Magic ‘Chapter II – The Elven Prophecy’.

Runes of Magic – a world full of wizardry and adventure
The German and English versions of Runes of Magic were released on March 19th, 2009. Anyone can download the online role-playing game for free at: www.runesofmagic.com and can plunge into the game world after a short registration process.

With an extensive range of features, and more than 1.6 Million registered players in North America and Europe, Runes of Magic is redefining the standard for free-to-play titles. Runes of Magic features an absorbing story through more than 1,600 quests, in a vibrant fantasy world. Players can choose from six main classes, combined with a secondary class, presenting 30 individual combinations of character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts like war horses and more.

A particularly attractive feature is the ability for players and guilds to arrange and furnish their virtual homes. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, exciting PvP, and demanding dungeons and boss monsters, there is something for everyone.

Taiwanese developer Runewaker developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards over three years. The studio is providing new challenges for players every four to five months with free add-ons and updates. You can find more information, pictures, videos, and the game available for free download via the official website: www.runesofmagic.com.

Features

• Free-to-play: no monthly fees, free download
• Extensive dual class system (six primary and secondary classes)
• Versatile spell and attack combinations
• Enthralling background story
• More than 1,600 quests and quest series
• No zone boundaries thanks to seamless architecture
• Dungeons: Instanced, tile based, and persistent
• Individually developable skills and spells
• Armor sets with special bonuses
• Dynamic item system with hundreds of runes for upgrading
• Optional PvP system with arena battles
• Ranking system with player-ranking lists
• Multitude of unique mounts
• Epic crafting system with the ability to improve existing items
• Personalization of player houses through individual furnishing
• Reputation system
• Customizable user interface with the option to use Add-Ons
• Map and radar system to easily find dealers, resources and quests
• In-game auction houses for trading items
• Teleport-Runes for instant travel
• Mouse and keyboard controls for movement
• Regular updates with new content
• Guild castles in special zones
• Cross-server fights in three-server-battle and guild wars in development

When I started playing Evony, I did so because I was bored.  (Yes, even I get bored of World of Warcraft even with a level 80… or two.)  While I play several other free browser based mmo games as well, I don’t play any that are Sim building games – which I absolutely love.  So, when I saw that Evony was a type of Sim building game, well, I had to give it a shot.

Gameplay:
Basically in Evony, you are building your own city on a massive map.  While there are open areas around you to conquer for materials, you will start off with enough area to build up your town and gather the materials that you need.  You have a wealth of different buildings available to you right from the start, and you can choose to either follow the quest lines (which basically gather you up a ton of materials and goods) or you can just build how you want to.  Personally, I do a bit of both in Evony.  There is a great in-game chat system as well, and I’ve found that many players are pretty helpful and won’t make fun of you too bad – even if you are a noob.

Graphics:
The graphics in Evony are really good for a free browser based mmo.  As you can see from my screen shots here in this free mmo game review, they are very detailed and nicely done.  I like how the designers gave everything the smallest detail to make the game believable – instead of a cartoonist aspect or graphics that aren’t as detailed as they should be – which happens a lot.

Building:
You start off with a level 1 town hall and a very small wall around your city.  You have to build up your cottages in town to get people to move in, then you have to work on materials – especially food.  As you play, you will develop your own pace for building different categories of buildings and the quests in Evony can help you as well with what to build next and what you really need or don’t need.  With the wealth of different buildings available to you in this free mmo game, it can seem a little overwhelming – but don’t worry.  It’s really not.

Why I Like This Free MMO: Evony:
Why do I like this free browser based mmo game, Evony?  Easy.  It’s fun.  It’s like a great mix of Age of Empires and a free mmo game.  So, instead of trying to figure everything out for yourself, you actually have people that will help you – real people that you can actually talk to, not just a computer generated answer that doesn’t mean squat.  And, there are alliances in Evony that you can take advantage of – especially for those newer players that aren’t ready when their 7-day protection is up.  (Yes, this happens after your first 7 days in the game.  Then, other cities and players can attack you without warning.)

But overall, this is just a super concept, a fun little free mmo game, and I really enjoy it.  For those of you that think this might be an mmo game you’d like – head over to Evony.com and try it out.  I mean, it’s not like it will cost you anything – which is good.  And, I promise that you’ll have a good time with this little building mmo game.  Hey, if you come to play, look me up on World 42…

CyberAgent America, Inc., a publisher of free-to-play online games, today announced the availability of NinjaGold for purchase in NinjaTrick, the free-to-play multiplayer action game for everyone. Special and rare items can only be obtained in exchange for the new currency, which aspiring ninjas can purchase using any major credit card and pre-paid card through PayPal and PayByCash.

“We’ve received priceless feedback during the NinjaTrick open beta thus far, and that’s helped us make it fun, stable and solid – the game is now at a point where we’re very comfortable inviting ninjas who want that extra edge on the battlefield to purchase NinjaGold,” said Toshimichi Namba, CEO of CyberAgent America, Inc. “We’re confident that NinjaTrick’s unique blend of action-oriented gameplay with MMO elements will continue to stand out in the free-to-play market.”

For more information about NinjaTrick, or to purchase NinjaGold, visit: http://ninjatrick.com/

About CyberAgent America, Inc.

CyberAgent America, Inc. was established in February 2008 as a fully-owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based CyberAgent. With our extensive networks and over 11 years of experience in the Japanese internet industry, CyberAgent America is in a position to bring Japanese internet services to the international market, taking advantage of shared resources across the CyberAgent group.

Adventurers resourceful enough to reach the summit will find themselves face-to-beak with the ancient king of the Rocs, a monstrous, crimson bird that stands nearly 100 feet tall. His anger at the humans who disturb his rest knows no bounds, so those who wish to steal his treasures should be prepared for an epic battle. Of course, he has collected some incredibly powerful items over the centuries, so that reward might just be worth the risk!

To find out more about the Legend IV Plus update, including details about the new dungeon, visit the teaser site at http://www.joymax.com/silkroad/.

About Silkroad Online

Silkroad Online is a massively multiplayer online RPG that puts the player deep into historical fantasy, joining the Chinese and European civilizations along the Silk Road trade route. Traveling across Jangan, from China to Constantinople, players can make their fortunes as merchants, prey on the rich as thieves, or be protection-for-hire as hunters. The most recent expansion, Legend IV: Tomb of the Qin-Shi Emperor, added new territory, quests, weapons, and an increased level cap for adventurers. With over 18 million registered users and 170,000 concurrent players worldwide, the triangular conflict of Silkroad Online has never been more exciting. More information about Silkroad Online is available at http://www.joymax.com/silkroad/.

About Joymax

Since its establishment in April, 1997, Joymax has been developing and publishing quality games for the emerging game industry of the 21st century. Based in Seoul, Korea, the company has published numerous titles for the PC platform, and its first MMORPG, Silkroad Online, has grown to offer service in 200 countries since its 2004 launch. Joymax is to become a global entertainment company providing multimedia content. For more information, please visit www.joymax.co.kr/eng/.