Independent developer and publisher IllFonic has announced via press release plans to bring its PC shooter Nexuiz to consoles through digital means. Nexuiz is apparently heading to both XBLA and PSN.

The game has been an open source project based on an extremely altered Quake 1 engine. It began development in 2005, and the engine was acquired through GNU licensing. The game has evolved quite a bit since its release from the original developer Alientrap Software, now IllFonic plan to bring it to consoles.

The new version will contain a new art direction for the title but promises to maintain the same fast paced style of the PC game.

Indie developer Sidhe’s brick-breaking title Shatter has made the jump from the Playstation Network onto the PC platform, and is now available for purchase and download via Steam.

The title is a retro-inspired brick breaking game that merges familiar gameplay with unusual twists.  The title includes for single player modes including Story, Boss Rush, Endless, Time Attack, with the last two on the list offering online multiplayer. Leaderboards and achievements come packed as well.

Shatter is available now for $10, from the description:

Shatter is a retro-inspired brick-breaking game that merges familiar action with unique twists and a modern crafted production approach.

• Innovative controls, physics effects, power-ups, special attacks, and boss battles which combine to provide an experience that is always interactive.
• Includes Story, Endless, Boss Rush, Time Attack, Endless Co-op multiplayer, and Time Attack Co-op multiplayer modes with leaderboards and achievements.
• A Vibrant 3D Style presented across 10 distinct worlds in up to Full HD.
• A fully scored soundtrack featuring over 90 minutes of award winning original music.

In celebration of the announcement that Electronic Arts will be publishing Klei Entertainment’s highly anticipated violent 2D brawler, Shank, the developer has revealed a brand new and gruesome trailer for the upcoming title. Shank will be released to the XBLA, PSN, and PC this summer and will also be available on the GDC showroom floor from tomorrow until Saturday (March 11-13). The exact time and location is listed below in their press release.

Unfortunately, I’m unable to embed the video but the gameplay trailer is truly something to behold. Therefore, I encourage anybody over 17 and even remotely interested in the title to check out the new gameplay trailer here.

What: Coming out of last week’s exciting announcement of a publishing deal with EA Partners to bring Shank to XBLA, PSN and PC this summer, Klei Entertainment released a video of its upcoming 2D cinematic brawler today, showcasing new levels, new moves and new bosses coming to the game.

This video supports its showing at this year’s Game Developer Conference in San Francisco, Calif. March 11-13, 2010. As one of the 2010 Independent Game Festival (IGF) finalists (and recognized for its excellence in “Visual Art”), Shank will be on display at the IGF Pavilion during regular Expo Hall hours.

When: New video available Monday, March 8, 2010
GDC demonstrations running Thursday, March 11 through Saturday, March 13, 2010

Where: Shank game kiosk in the IGF Pavilion, GDC Expo Hall (South Hall), Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, Calif. during the following hours:

Thursday, March 11 10am-6pm
Friday, March 12 10am-6pm
Saturday, March 13 10am-3pm

Boolat Games announced earlier this week that the follow-up second episode to their original puzzle-platformer, Topatoi: The Great Tree Story, will be available on the European PSN for 5.99 euros (roughly $8.50 in the US but it will probably be distributed at $9.99) as of February 4th, 2010. Surprisingly, episode 2–which is entitled Topatoi: Pillar of the Skies–is considered an add-on for the game and therefore requires the first episode for functionality. However, it does not require that all levels of the first be completed.

Topatoi: Pillar of the Skies boasts entirely new environments and a plethora of new features. Much like the first in the series, players control a small explorer vehicle that functions as a spinning top. The second episode promises a much darker atmosphere than the brighter sense of the first one. Expect it on Thursday, February 4th and we’ll keep you up to speed as to when it drops on the US PSN.

Check out the brand new gameplay video below!

Boolat Games’ second installment of the Topatoi series is on its way. The puzzle-platformer–which is a PSN title–will receive The Pillar of Skies as its continuation. Boolat claims that this second episode will take place in a different environment than The Great Tree Story. The “darker in tone” title will include new enemies, new gameplay elements, and an entirely new environment populated by cliffs and machinery.

Topatoi: The Pillar of Skies also boasts a longer story mode. An estimated 10 hours of gameplay are accompanied by 10 bonus Arcade Mode levels. While Pillar of Skies is on its way in early 2010 (maybe January/February), Boolat has been kind enough to release a demo of the gorgeous title onto the PSN store. Control the spinning top machinery and overcome obstacles while collecting stars along the way. Stay tuned for more info on Topatoi as it becomes available.

In the meantime, enjoy the trailer that emphasizes the difference between The Great Tree Story and The Pillar of Skies.

In the midst of several game discounts on Sony’s Playstation Network, indie standout Flower is available now for half-off. The ‘poetic-adventure’ title developed by ThatGameCompany will run you just $5 through Tuesday, December 2.

Flower is one of those games where the developer’s goal is to whisk the player out of their seat and into an almost dreamlike, wholly unique experience; you’ve seen the type. Taking place in Japan, each level is set in a different flower’s dream as it sits on the window of a bland city apartment. As the player advances through the game, the apartment and city gradually becomes more vibrant and colorful.

Flower debuted back in February of this year for Playstation 3′s online network, with the award winning title recently receiving one of the four nominations for VGA 2009′s Best Indie.

Critter Crunch developer Capybara’s Nathan Vella touched on his experience with Sony’s free PhyreEngine in a recent chat with Gamasutra:

“They support the living shit out of it, and they support it really well. Any of the parts that are inside Phyre that we didn’t know how to fix or we had an issue with, they would fix it for us in a day. Overall, I think Sony’s doing a lot of right stuff for small independent developers…[Sony] treated us like we weren’t a small nobody developer from Toronto.”

Vella’s high praise isn’t the first time a PSN developer has complimented the process. In addition to free development tools, Vella mentioned several additional perks received with Sony. Their PSN title was promoted heavily on the PlayStation Blog, Pulse and banners on the PlayStation Store.

Capybara Games has released a demo for their fattening puzzle game Critter Crunch, now available for PS3 users to try on the Playstation Network. The dev is hoping the demo raises awareness of the title amidst self-admitted slow sales out of the gate.

The full game contains several modes: puzzle, adventure, challenge and survivor, as well as including offline/online co-op and versus. Critter Crunch was released on PSN October 8.

Developer Psyonix has announced via press release that it’s PSN vehicle combat title Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars will run for only $4.99, 50% off the standard price, for the next two weeks in celebration of the game’s first anniversary.

“October marks the one-year launch anniversary of Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars – our first self-published title – and we feel like having a party,” said Dave Hagewood, Director of Development for Psyonix. “So we decided to give back to PlayStation 3 owners by giving those who have been missing out on the fun some added incentive to join the Battle-Cars community.”

Sounds good to us. Offer is on now through October 29.

Nemesys Team Studio has announced the release of Fortix for the PC and PSP as a mini through the Playstation Network. The game is a remake of Qix, the popular 80′s arcade title, featuring “new enemy’s, catapults and power-ups, a beautiful fantasy setting and online scoreboards.”

In the strategy game the player attempts to fence off his enemies into corners and then attack. The full game goes for $5 and can be downloaded on the official site for the game. A demo is available there and on GamersHell as well.