New Year, same great value from Sold Out
Sold Out, the UK's leading value software publisher, will be starting 2006 as it finished 2005, with the release of six titles of the highest quality at the lowest prices.
Leading the line up of £4.99 titles is Vivendi Universal Games' highly-acclaimed RTS, Empire Earth. 'Epic' is too small a word for a game that spans an incredible 500,000 years of human history. Starting in the Prehistoric Age, the player must guide their society all the way through to the futuristic 'Nano Age'. 21 of the greatest civilisations of all time are available and famous episodes of history can be replayed, allowing re-enactment of the battles of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Henry V or Napoleon. The goal of the game is simple - make the Earth your Empire - but with hundreds of competing units and technologies, only the master strategist can lead his people to dominance. PC Gamer magazine awarded Empire Earth 88% and a Game of Distinction award, describing it as "One hell of a good time".
Fans of less strategic action will be well served by two comic book-based offerings, Hulk and Judge Dredd: Dredd vs. Death. Hulk pits the ever-popular Marvel superhero against The Leader, a terrifying villain intent on unleashing an army of gamma creatures on the world. Playing as Dr. Bruce Banner, the player must harness the rage within whilst infiltrating enemy territory, but if the good doctor's rage gets too strong, the furious beast within in unleashed to devastating effect! Judge Dredd: Dredd vs. Death features the dark antihero from British comic 2000 A.D. Set in Mega City One in the 22nd Century, Dredd is faced with a sudden outbreak of vampires. With 400 million citizens to protect (give or take a few hundred million potential criminals), Dredd must battle against the feared Dark Judges to do his duty and uphold the Law. Both all-action titles were originally published by Vivendi Universal Games.
Codemasters' TOCA Race Driver is the third in the hugely popular TOCA series of driving games. The player takes on the role of hot-headed rookie Ryan McKane, starting at the bottom in his quest for glory... and revenge. If being able to drive on all the circuits in the British Touring Car Championship doesn't appeal, there are 12 other championships to tackle, including Germany's DTM and Australia's V8 Supercars series. In total, there are 38 officially licensed tracks and 42 cars to choose from, all with realistic damage models. PC Gamer magazine enthused over the game, awarding it 88% and a 'Game of Distinction title', calling it 'a pin-sharp sim that's both challenging and forgiving, with a story that's not just bolted on".
Completing this batch of releases are Pool Paradise and Railroad Pioneer. Pool Paradise was developed by the undisputed master of pool games, Archer Maclean, in collaboration with 'People's Champion', Jimmy White. With such a pedigree, it's no surprise that this is the most realistic pool title ever released, but there is also plenty of Maclean's trademark humour, wacky tables and unlockable minigames. Originally published by Ignition Entertainment, Pool Paradise marks the first time that the ambitious publisher has worked with Sold Out. Railroad Pioneer comes from JoWood's stable of strategy sims and follows on the heels of Hotel Giant and Industry Giant II, two of Sold Out's biggest sellers of 2005. Beginning in the New York of 1834, the goal is to build the railways and shape the commercial future of the nascent United States. Boasting the levels of detail and intricacy that JoWood is famed for, Railroad Pioneer is sure to be a "sleeper" hit!
"Never mind the January sales," enthused Peter Ball, Sales Director for Mastertronic, "the real bargains this winter are all from Mastertronic. Six high-quality titles, all for under a fiver each and this is just the start of our exceptional line-up for 2006. In these cold, dark, debt-ridden days after Christmas, Mastertronic are truly the gamer's best friend."
About Mastertronic Group Limited
Mastertronic is one of the best known electronic entertainment brands in Europe. It pioneered the European console market with its launch of the Sega Master System, invented the budget retail sector and built an international development and publishing operation under the Virgin Mastertronic label.
The brand was subsequently relaunched as The Mastertronic Group Limited in 2003 by founder Frank Herman, together with Andy Payne and Garry Williams.
The Group now leads the European value publishing sector through its retail brands M.A.D. (Mastertronic Added Dimension), Sold Out (the UK's largest-selling budget operation, acquired by the Group in 2004) and PC Gamer Presents, a unique quality-assured brand in association with the leading games magazine publisher Future Publishing.
The Group also offers, through its wholly owned subsidiary The Producers Limited (also acquired in 2004) a 'cradle to grave' total turnkey service for physical product, from marketing through packaging and warehousing to retail and electronic distribution. In addition, MAD 4 Games, a wireless channel for content delivery to mobile phones was established first quarter 2005.
### PR CONTACT ####
Neil McKenna, Mastertronic Games Limited
t: 0845 234 4242