GamePlanets

Halo 3 is being played by soldiers stationed in Iraq:




Watch Video #1

Watch Video #2

"To put it simply, Lost Planet is an incredibly awesome game. From the well planned and executed single player campaign to the never-ending online battles, it’s one of those rare games where you feel like you got every penny’s worth and then some..."

read entire review

A look at the 2007 prospects for the next generation consoles and why the 360 may be the richest game-wise.

read entire article

Source: Digg

In this month's OPM UK, it is confirmed that BioShock is no longer exclusive to the Xbox 360/PC and is slated for a March 2007 release on the Playstation 3.


Source: Digg

"It's been a fantastic year for the Xbox 360 but even greater things are destined in 2007, when the world's biggest developers finally unleash the big 360 guns we've been waiting for, in what could well be the most wallet-gripping 12 months in years.

To start off 2007 brings BioWare's jaw-dropping RPG Mass Effect into gamers' hands, as well as the destined-to-be-stellar Grand Theft Auto IV and of course everyone's Xbox 360 wet dream, the legendary Halo 3.

Plus there's the added spice of PlayStation 3 rivalry that will help fuel Microsoft's plans, and the inevitable flood of Marketplace and Live Arcade content that will follow now that developers have finally realised the e-distribution service's true potential.

With such an exciting list of titles penned for 2007 it's almost impossible pick out just ten favourites, so we've squeezed it down to twelve instead. Start saving your pennies now - it's going to be a bloody expensive year..."

read entire article

"Next year is going to be a big year for PC Gaming", declared Gas Powered Games' Chris Taylor in a recent interview with CVG which we'll be publishing over Christmas. And you know what? He ain't lying. When we sat down to pick out our 10 most-anticipated PC games due to hit next year, the list topped 20 titles within minutes, and it actually proved difficult to cut it down. In fact, don't tell our editor, but we've actually sneaked a couple more into the list without him noticing. Shhhhh... So, below, listed in no particular order, are the 12 games that we've chosen...

read entire article

"No matter what you say about PlayStation 3 (and its detractors say plenty) there's no denying it has some great looking games to look forward to. Providing it ever comes out in Europe (it's still March says Sony), 2007 will see the launch of a true next generation of gaming. And if PS3 really does finally come out next September, at least it can lay claim to the greatest ever launch line-up in Europe ever.

In fact, there are so many great games coming to PS3 that choosing our ten most wanted was far harder a task than we expected. When massive forthcoming games such as Devil May Cry 4, Haze, Mercenaries 2 and Pro Evolution Soccer 7 don't make the list (not to mention all those games planned for 2008, such as Resident Evil 5, Gran Turismo 5 and Final Fantasy XIII) you know you're looking at an avalanche of quality..."

read entire article

"I used to love Splinter cell. I used to love sneaking around, punching enemies in the back of the head, then dragging their body into the corner of the room, undetected as Sam Fisher. Each new Splinter Cell game pushed the limits of technology further, and introduced new and innovative gameplay devices. The original Splinter Cell, for example, not only had good graphics, but it was the first game to implement lighting and shadows that actually had an effect on the gameplay. Pandora Tomorrow introduced an amazingly innovative Multiplayer game in which one team plays as the mercenaries, and the other plays as the spies. Chaos Theory added cooperative play, a great new way of playing a casual game with friends, and not competitively when bragging rights were on the line. The series has been great up until now..."

read entire review

"Ah, yes, the new flight simulator is finally out. I have always been a fan of flight simulators and airplanes. The first flight simulator I got was MFS2004. That game was excellent. The graphics were superior and so was the game play. The sound of taking off actually sounded real. Microsoft Flight Simulator X (MFSX) is a very good game with some minor problems that could be fixed soon, but when I heard that a new MFS game was coming out, I just had to get it. Well, here is the load down of how fine (or appalling) this game really is."

read entire review

"With drunken brawling, horseback combat, spell combos and a mature rating, AOC: Hyborian Adventures might be offering something new and exciting in a pretty crowded arena. Just as long as they keep a dance emote, we'll be happy..."

read entire preview

Extend the life of your games using Xbox Live and the Live Anywhere feature.





Subscribe to stories like this and get our content every day via RSS

Blizzard CM confirmed that World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade has gone gold and is on track for its January 16, 2007 launch date.

World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade will be in stores on January 16th in North America and Europe. The expansion will be available in a similar time frame in Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore as well, and availability for mainland China and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau will be announced in the near future.

For more information on World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, please visit the official website for the expansion at www.wow-europe.com/en/burningcrusade.

The Blizzard Fan Art Section has been updated with new pieces of artwork:

Eleven new Hellgate London screenshots have been posted the HanbitSoft website:

Techland announced that a new single player demo of Xpand Rally Xtreme will be available for download in early January 2007. Two distinct rally tracks, Malaysia and Italy, will be featured in the demo. The file will also give players the chance to try out two different vehicles, each of which can be tuned, set up and painted to suit the driver’s needs. Both the Arcade and Simulation driving modes will make an appearance. Arcade mode was created with inexperienced players in mind, who like to drive fast and dangerously without worrying over the consequences. Simulation mode is best suited for demanding players, who want their driving model to be as close to reality as possible, and want to have the possibility of fine-tuning their ride.

Source: Blue's News

"Elveon will be coming out for Windows late next year, so plenty could change yet. We didn't get a chance to play a beefed-up character, so the pleasures of high-level manoeuvres were neglected in favour of experiencing the basic combos of sword and spear. Even so, Elveon feels like it has serious potential. On the one hand, it's got the potential to be pompous, self-regarding and not as good as it thinks it is. That's the elven way. On the other hand, if everything snaps together, Elveon has the potential to be genuinely beautiful, thoughtful and rewarding."

read entire preview

"For those who weren't lucky enough to get their hands on a PS3 in time for Christmas (or, perhaps, you're waiting for Santa to deliver the new system in a couple of days), here's our impressions having unlocked everything in the demo. As detailed in our story from earlier in the week (go there for a full demo car list, and some comments from GT series producer Kazunori Yamauchi), the Gran Turismo HD Concept demo includes ten cars, selectable in a variety of colors, and one track. Spend some time with the demo, though, and you'll find a whole lot more than that..."

read entire preview

An attempt from some magazine a few decades ago predicting what games would be like today.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. provides a dynamic gameplay of fast and tough combats, where you oppose smart & dangerous enemies, a large set of diverse weaponry, possibility to control machinery, detailed and interactive game world, story-driven single player with original team gameplay, and multiplayer with numerous modes. A THQ release schedule reveals that STALKER, 5 years after its announcement, will launch March 16, 2007.

The official Clusterball 2 website announces development of a sequel to Clusterball, the airborne sporting game. The website offers some screenshots and trailer for the game, which is due in Q4 2007.




Clusterball is a high-paced, adrenaline pumping flight sport demanding skill, tactics and ball control - designed as a first person shooter but without the splatter and gore. Played in midair with high tech aircraft, your objective is to gather and score as many balls as possible while trying your best to keep your opponents from doing the same. As your tail grows longer, your ship will gradually slow down, making you more vulnerable to attacks. Thus, each extra ball gathered involves a calculated risk. Clusterball 2 excels its critically acclaimed predecessor in all areas and is set to be a milestone in gaming history.

Major additions include:

- New revolutionary weapons system - choose to use each weapon offensively or defensively and in combination with other weapon types.
- Three different models of aircrafts -varying from very fast and light ships to slow and heavy ones, all with their pros and cons and full tuning abilities.
- New thrilling game modes expand the original Clusterball gameplay adding more variation. Besides classic Clusterball competition Clusterball 2 offers Stronghold, Fatball, Capture, Shootout and Clusterball Racing.
- Stunning visual and physical effects including the in-house developed dynamic water effects technology acknowledged as spearheading by the leading industry magazine, Game Developer.
- Fully distributable community services featuring automatic tournaments, viewer servers, a massive team section and dozens of measure points for all stat lovers.
- Dynamic In-Game Advertising including interactive billboards.

Source: Gameguru Mania

AQI and Artoon released new images of Vampire Rain, to be released in 2007 on Xbox 360 and PS3.







Source: Xboxyde

The Official SÖLDNER - Marine Corps Website offers the official announcement of development of SÖLDNER 2, a sequel to the mercenary-themed first-person shooter. The game is in the works at gEasy Development, and word is it will feature a strong multiplayer emphasis, and that production has already progressed to the point that they are projecting a Q4 2007 release.

Source: Blue's News

"Forces of Corruption is an absolute must-have for fans of Empire At War, it adds great new features and fantastic new units. The people who screamed blue for the Executor and command of the Death Star II will be pleasantly soothed. Yes it has some flaws with its interface design, but the great core of the game outshines those even brighter with this expansion..."

read entire review

"For Command & Conquer fans it's been nearly 10 years since Nod and GDI raged nostalgic battles across office LANs nationwide, but thankfully the veteran RTS series is finally back on the scene with gaming's favourite bald-headed villain heading-up the finest FMV cut-scenes since Voodoo graphics cards were king.

After kicking arse and taking names in the first C&C3 multiplayer session, we recently caught up with Tiberium Wars Executive Producer and all-round C&C god Mike Verdu, to probe him on how he plans to shake up the as-always crowded RTS genre while living up to the massive expectations of C&C stalwarts.

You can expect more on how the game actually plays next month when EA finally loosens our NDA shackles, but for now it's over to Mr. Verdu..."

read entire interview

Three brand new The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar screenshots have been released:

CrysisNews have posted two (already released, but high res) screenshots:

Download DX10 HD Video Now (41 MB)

Two new screenshots of BioShock:

Date Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars formally announced on 28 March 2007. Also published Cover boxes with the game. As you can see, EA has decided not to return to the classic box-design games C&C, the image of a soldier.

Three stunning new frozen world screenshots - including the first close up shot of the alien ship:

Microsoft has announced that the company has extended the Xbox 360's out of the box warranty from 90 days to a full year, beginning from the date of purchase within the US and Canada. According to officials, the move was made in order to be consistent with the standard Xbox 360 warranty that is offered in other territories globally.

Xbox 360 owners who experience hardware issues with their Xbox 360 within one year of purchase can have their consoles repaired at no cost. In addition, the new warranty policy is retroactive, so consumers who may have already paid for an out-of-warranty Xbox 360 repair within one year of purchase will be eligible for reimbursement of their console repair charges.

Microsoft notes that those who have already paid for such repair charges within their first year of ownership can expect reimbursement checks for the amount of their console repair in approximately 10 weeks.

The company adds that reimbursements will be automatically distributed, so customers do not need to contact Microsoft directly. More information concerning this policy change can be found on Microsoft's official Xbox 360 website.

Source: Gamasutra

"Next Generation has picked and ranked the 50 games we believe made 2006 such a stand-out year in game quality. Click through for the definitive "Best of Year" round-up..."

Read the entire article here

"Transforming vehicles, aqua crazy aliens, and gigantic mechs of Voltron proportions left us anxious for more after playing the latest preview build of KDV Game's real-time strategy, Maelstrom..."

Read the entire preview here

"Based on what we saw, Tomb Raider: Anniversary Edition is shaping up to be a very promising retelling of the original game. As it proved with Legend, Crystal Dynamics seems to get what the series is all about and is once again playing to its strengths. Given how strong Tomb Raider: Legend was, we have high hopes for Crystal Dynamics' second outing with Ms. Croft. Tomb Raider: Anniversary Edition is currently slated to ship this spring for the PlayStation Portable, PS2, and PC. While we were shown only the PS2 game, reps mentioned that Anniversary Edition will likely follow the same approach of Legend on the PSP and offer the same content the console game did, as well as some multiplayer features that are still being ironed out. Look for more on the game in the coming weeks..."

Read the entire preview here

"In Flagship Studios' Hellgate: London, which takes place in 2038, the titular city lies in ruins, shattered by a demon army against which nuclear and even biological armaments were almost completely ineffective. There is but one final, desperate ray of hope. It resides with factions such as these, who can face the monsters with abilities and technologies outside the realm of normal understanding..."

Read the entire preview here

The future of war lies solely on your shoulders. Which side will you choose?

Here's the overview of fixes:

- Fixed ambient sound bug
- Sound occlusion improved
- Several physics and character movement bugs fixed
- Inventory exploit fixed
- Camera behaviour improved
- Several mission logs fixed
- Several small quest bugs fixed
- NPCs don't die as quickly as before when fighting monsters. This helps party members to survive.

Mirrors:

http://www.worldofgothic.de/dl/index...ds&file_id=262
http://www.extreme-players.de/download.php?id=11681
http://gameswelt.de/pc/downloads/pat...?item_id=61898
http://www.aeonsx.de/downloads/patch...3_patch112.exe
http://rapidshare.com/files/8376126/...ch112.exe.html
http://www.worthdownloading.com/down...d=1219&id=9741
http://www.strategyinformer.com/pc/g...tch/10065.html
http://www.fileshack.com/file.x/9626....12+Patch+-+EU
http://www.gamershell.com/download_17012.shtml
http://www.3dgamers.com/dlselect/gam...ch112.exe.html

SEGA of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe Ltd. today announced that the highly anticipated arcade fighting game, Virtua Fighter™ 5, will make its way onto the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system. Virtua Fighter™ 5 is scheduled for release on Xbox 360™ in North America and in Europe during late summer 2007. The game will also be available for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system on February 20th, 2007 in North America and will be available in Europe simultaneously with the system's launch in March 2007.

Sam Fisher sneaks out of the shadows and onto the PS3 in March 2007.

While Xbox 360 owners have been able to experience next-gen Splinter Cell for a few months now, PlayStation 3 owners will be able to get their hands on Sam Fisher's latest adventure in March 2007. Ubisoft has announced that the Splinter Cell Double Agent will be released worldwide in time for the March European launch of the PlayStation 3.

Source: Pro-G

A new set of screenshots for The Settlers VI is now available for download in regular and high resolutions to reveal more of the medieval 3D management strategy sequel under construction at Blue Byte Studios.








Source: 3D Gamers

"Simbin have come a long way since developing modifications for ISI based sims, things moved fast after getting backing from an owner of a real FIA GT Racing Team, Hendrik Roos. Ross allowed the group to quickly gather the support and resources to develop GTR. SimBin later came up with GTL, a title that seemed to want to tag onto some of the cult following that GPL had. Both titles though where highly successful commercially, despite some rather frustrating problems..."

Read the entire review here

"Finally, a series I don't mind seeing show up again on store shelves every year. Why? Because Relic takes the idea of an expansion to a whole new and utterly worthwhile level.

It's not enough that Dark Crusade is the second follow-up to Dawn of War, a game they had to buy a bigger mantle for to house all its awards. Oh no. They had to go and literally make a whole new standalone game that just happens to contain everything that made the original great, polish it to a sheen, and pile on a whole extra heaping helping of Warhammer 40k goodness on top of it.

The premise going into the main campaign here is that powerful relics have been discovered on the planet Kronus and all the races in the WH 40k universe (save for the Tyranids) are vying for the rights to them. The race is on, and a war that will consume several days of your life begins..."

Read the entire review here

"Call of Duty 3 is more of the same from the franchise with some nice new graphics on a brand new console system. The game is extremely action-packed and intense, and has a nice new variety of weapons and vehicles that bring a nice rich depth that adds nicely to a very popular franchise. The online component for this PS3 edition of the game is woefully thin and offers a gamer nothing in terms of coming back for more months from now. It is, however, a great shooter to play through the campaign and has some great visuals and sounds for a fun PS3 experience..."

Read the entire review here

Six new PC screenshots of The Witcher, an upcoming RPG powered by the NWN 1 engine:





Source: VE3D

"If you're desperate to get your hands on MotorStorm, you might have considered importing the Japanese version of the game. Well I'm here to save you fifty bucks with a quick mental exercise..."

Read the entire article here

IGN has some new screenshots from the 360 version of Command & Conquer 3:

As the competition between the consoles gets stiff, what does the future hold for Microsoft's Xbox 360?

"The Playstation 3 provides a complete entertainment experience."

Game footage from Assassin's Creed.

Capcom® announced that the single-player and multiplayer demos of Lost Planet™: Extreme Condition, exclusively for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft have been downloaded over one million times by the global Xbox community. Since the release of the multiplayer demo over the Thanksgiving holiday, Xbox Live players across the globe have spent nearly 300,000 hours locked in furious combat. Lost Planet carries a "T" rating for teen audiences by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) and will be available across North America on January 12.

Lost Planet's action-packed multiplayer demo is available as a free download on Xbox Live® Marketplace.

For more information on Lost Planet, please visit the official site at http://www.lostplanet-thegame.com or join the growing community of fans at http://www.lostplanetcommunity.com

That's right! It may be winter outside, but it's time to start planning that summer vacation to the ultimate multiplayer gaming event and party - QuakeCon 2007. We're locked and loaded for August 2-5, 2007 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, TX, and we've got more gaming, events, exhibits and fun planned than ever before.

This year's BYOC Area will consume the entire Trinity Hall 1, with over 70,000 square feet of floor space and 2,700 player spots - over 1,000 more seats than 2006. We've also increased the exhibit area 5X to 25,000 square feet, enough to accommodate up to 50 exhibitors demonstrating their latest games and computer hardware. Of course, it wouldn't be QuakeCon without our high-stakes pro gaming tournaments; and attendees can also look forward to the return and expansion of our enormously popular and one-of-a-kind "Quick Draw" tournaments, which pit randomly selected attendees against each other in high-pressure battles for serious cash. And in keeping with QuakeCon tradition, every day will be packed full of contests, conferences, announcements, and entertainment.

BYOC Registration:
Registration for the BYOC Area will kick off at 9:00pm EST on March 2, 2007 at www.quakecon.org, and if you've been under a rock for the last 12 years, the event continues to be FREE thanks to the support of the incredible volunteer QuakeCon Staff, id Software, and our yearly sponsors and exhibitors.

QuakeCon Room Reservations:
The Hilton Anatole is now taking room reservations for QuakeCon 2007 through their custom QuakeCon reservation link or through their toll-free reservations number, 1-800-HILTONS. To receive our specially negotiated room rate of $131 (single, double, triple, or quad occupancy), and our special daily self-park rate of $5 (regularly $15 per day), you must request the group rate for "QuakeCon 2007" or book through the link above when making your reservation. The Hotel requires a $50 non-refundable deposit on group reservations, which will be credited to your final room bill upon check-out.

More QuakeCon 2007 information, including airline and other travel discounts, will be available in early 2007 so stay tuned to www.quakecon.org.


Source: QuakeCon.org

WoW-Logic was one of the 5 finalits in the Dance/Music Video category of the Xfire Summer WoW Movie Contest 2006. The new version, WoW-Logic Enhanced is an extra layer of polish over the original. For more infomation regarding WoW-Logic and other works by Deviate Productions, go to www.kotrl.co.uk

D3 released five screenshots of Earth Defense Forces X, last instalment of an excellent PS2 action series. The game is available in Japan since last week, and the impressions from the people who imported it are very good. Hopefully, with the US version planned to hit the shelves in march 07, we can hope an Euro release date to be announced quickly.




Source: Xboxyde

Zelda parody in the style of South Park

In this week's Ask the Experts column from educational site Game Career Guide, contributing editor Jill Duffy addresses the role of producers and how to become one in game industry. We're also running this useful breaking-in column on Gamasutra - please consult the Game Career Guide 'Getting Started' page for more advice on entering and progressing your career in the game biz.



"Dear Experts,

I want to be a producer. What are the best things for me to study?"

Dear reader,

Before I try to answer this question, I think we should step back and look at the question itself. In fact, I think we should take even one more step back and address what a video game producer does.

Game producers come in many forms, such as assistant producer, project manager, or team lead. The role of a producer can vary greatly, too, but essentially, the job entails being the chief organizer. Producers organize schedules, people, project specifications, and just about everything the project entails, save for the accounting (though at smaller studios, even balancing the books can be part of the producer’s job). Think of the producer as the one human brain on the project that stores all the information about what needs to be done when and by whom.

Typically, game producers come from within the ranks of the game industry (that’s why we need to take a step back from your initial question). In fact, 49 percent of game producers have six or more years experience in the industry, so they’re not being hired straight out of college. They’re being promoted.

Producers don’t usually study specific courses in project management to get hired, although there are degrees to that end (look into any business administration program, and you’re likely to find at least two classes that deal specifically with project management).

Ellen Beeman, an executive game producer with more than 15 years of experience in the industry at companies such as Microsoft, Monolith, Electronic Arts, Origin and Disney, recommends that young would-be producers “look for opportunities prior to or outside of the game industry to build team leadership and creative direction skills. In college, I worked part-time at a music studio as a producer. It never amounted to much, but that managerial experience helped me get my first project director job at Sierra. Any professional experience, even not related to the game industry, is great. It all helps.”

For students in game-specific programs, Beeman shares this bit more specific advice: “Students at game development colleges who are getting a degree in programming or art but know they want to go into production, [should] look for opportunities to manage a small team. Colleges like DigiPen and Full Sail require their students to complete team projects—an aspiring future producer should volunteer to be the team coordinator.”

Personally, I always think of project management as the type of job that comes to you, rather than you finding it. It’s very personality-specific. If, by nature, you are obsessively organized, diligent, thorough, diplomatic, and a little thick-skinned, and you work in the game industry in some other role (artists, tester, programmer), you might naturally move into a producer position. Think of it this way: If there were no producer for a game you were developing, would you be the one to take the lead and direct your group, without being overthrown midway into development? Would you put your personal stake aside and move toward what’s best for the project?

“Aspiring game producers should also be prepared to work their way up the career ladder for several years, as an assistant or associate producer,” says Beeman, “before they can reasonably expect to be trusted as the producer of a game with any kind of meaningful budget. Most game budgets are just too large for a company to take a chance on an untried producer.” Often, producer-track employees have to make a drastic move to land their career. “Unfortunately, I think company changes are often part of that career ladder process. I have rarely seen someone promoted from associate producer to full producer within a single company,” Beeman adds.

“And let me dispel another myth: producers just look like they're at the top of the food chain of a game production! The real role is getting obstacles out of the way of the development team,” she says. “Become a producer because you love team-building and helping others realize their creative dreams. If you find your true satisfaction in creating the game yourself, you're probably going to be a terrible producer!”

There are some other really interesting things to say about video game producers. For one, it is has the highest representation of females out of all the key game development roles (excluding business and legal) at about 21 percent. And even though they are tightly knit with the development team, producers are said to be among the least likely to have to work after hours.

Beeman says it’s true that “realistically, the producer often won't have tasks that require as much overtime as other members of the development team,” adding, “but a good producer will be there for the team and find some way to be useful during a crunch, even if it's just helping with Q/A or providing moral support.” Beeman says her contribution typically comes in the form of bring takeout lunches and dinners back to the office for the developers.

The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has some helpful information about becoming a game producer, too.

Finally, I will give some advice to young people, even pre-college young adults, who truly believe that being a video game producer is the job for them. Read some of the advice that’s out there about breaking into the game industry in general, and follow it.

You’ll find so many of the tips about breaking in are just as relevant to programmers as they are to artists or designers or producers: complete a long-term project (just build something, anything!), put yourself in a leadership position, work on a team, and keep your brain sharp and thinking critically whenever you are playing games.




- Jill Duffy

Jill Duffy is contributing editor of GameCareerGuide.com and managing editor of Game Developer magazine. She has been a professional writer and editor for more than six years. Send her your questions about the getting into the game industry by emailing theexperts@gamecareerguide.com.

"Thursday night EA/Mythic handled a conference call to tell some of us journalist-types more about Warhammer: Age of Reckoning, the new Warhammer fantasy MMORPG coming out from Mythic. A big area of concern for many interested players has been "what makes WAR unique among fantasy MMORPGs?"

The call took the format of a presentation - "what makes WAR unique?" – followed by a Q&A session of questions that had been e-mailed in. Jeff Hickman, senior producer of WAR, handled most of the questions, with help from Paul Barnett, the creative director for WAR and Games Workshop liaison to EA/Mythic. Jeff handled a lot of the "fact" side, as he put it, while Paul - as excited and outspoken as ever - answered a lot of the "flavor" side..."

Koei's first game for the PS3 and Xbox 360 is based on the Hundred Years War between England and France and boasts the following:

• A free mission system (you can choose between playing for England or France).
• AI algorithms that make units fight as corps.
• The capacity to have up to 65,000 characters on the screen all at once

"So when it comes to deciding whether or not this is a game you want to play, it becomes a matter of who you are and why you're reading this review. If it's the case that you occasionally dabble in the simulation of flight, perhaps while the wife's out shopping and the kids are at school - maybe you even own a joystick - then IL-2 1946 is the most comprehensive repackaging of the original that the series has seen, and comes highly recommended. If you're anything more than that, or if you've ever set foot in a flight sim fan forum, or you've already bought this and have arrived here out of some sense of pedantic duty, then you should find any errors in our spelling of obscure German aircraft, scoff and move on. Either way, IL-2 1946 remains the best version of (currently) the best World War 2 flight sim ever created. On the other hand, if you're of the other end of the fanaticism spectrum, and think Oleg Maddox is that bloke who writes scathing satirical comedy on the internet, then you should probably steer clear altogether."

Read the entire review here

"I've been reviewing PC games since 1999 and playing them since the late 1980s, and this is the first time I've had to jump through this many hoops to get a single game going. At its heart, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent is an enjoyable game with an engaging story that offers some good new touches to the franchise, but the Shader 3.0 requirement means a lot of people with older Shader 2.0 cards won't be able to run this game at all. (Ubisoft has stated that there will not be a patch to enable Shader 2.0 compatibility.)

Ubisoft claims the reason this was done was to make the PC version of the game match the Xbox 360 "experience." Having played the Xbox 360 version -- which, compared to the PC version, is pretty hassle-free -- I'd say they couldn't have failed more. This is a real shame because this is a good SC game with an equally good multiplayer package -- if you have the hardware and the patience to get it running, that is."

Read the entire review here

"On the surface, Dark Messiah Might and Magic is a masterful reinvention of a legendary franchise, taking turn based strategy role playing elements and transforming it into a first person action "shooter." While this isn't new (Deus Ex) the magical infusion of these ingredients, combined with a robust multiplayer component and a brass knuckled pulp fantasy story helps make Messiah one of the more enjoyable games of the year."

Read the entire review here

"Slow-moving powerhouse" vs. "Fast-attack, hit and run."

SEGA® of America Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced the signing of critically-acclaimed developer Gearbox Software to create a first-person shooter title based on the Alien film franchise for the next-generation systems with license from Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising. The agreement complements the recent announcement of an Alien RPG title for the next-generation systems to be developed by Obsidian Entertainment.

Read the entire press release here

How does the Xbox 360 compare against the other next-gen consoles?

The Game Factory today announced an upcoming Wii video game based on the popular children's TV series Legend of the Dragon. Legend of the Dragon is scheduled to ship in Q2 2007.



Source: gameSlave

"Viva Piñata has enough to keep you playing for a very long time. Though the game may be wrapped up in a brightly colored ‘E’ rated package, it is intended for any and all who love the micromanagement and collection heavy games. Whether you are putting together a pristine garden, collecting every species of piñata, protecting your critters from evil piñatas or even each other, it’s hard to get bored and even harder to put down the controller."

Read the entire review here

For more information about the game, please visit official website

"All the Tom Clancy games have now made successful jumps to the Xbox 360, and Rainbow Six Vegas is the best of the bunch. The number of options you have to tackle each situation makes for some great unscripted moments, and the visuals and sound help create an atmosphere that wouldn't be possible on older hardware. The online modes simply add to the package, making Vegas a game that's well worthy of a place on your shelf."

Read the entire review here

"All in all, Fight Night Round 3 is a stronger, smarter fighter than it was during its Xbox 360 battle. It's also had nine more months of training, so that's to be expected. Either way, EA Sports does next-gen right, and sets a high benchmark for boxing and fighting games in general. It'll be interesting to see which console comes out on top in their first head-to-head fight. For the sake of those playing it for the first time on PS3, let's hope that contest doesn't occur for at least six more months."

Read the entire review here

For more information about the game, please visit official website

"This game will definitely set the standards for all shooters that follow. With all the hype about game designers getting multi million dollar budgets, it looks like all the dough finally paid off. From start to finish, online and elsewhere, the most I found myself struggling to find problems. Although not quite perfect, it's the next best thing!"

WARNING: This review contains massive gore and spoilers. Viewer discretion is advised so proceed with caution.

Read the entire review here

"GRE does what it is designed to do, and does it well. It is easily playable and for someone who is very interested in the era but spends little time actually studying the Roman Empire, the game would be a fun distraction. For serious gamers or scholars of the Roman Empire, they would be better served by waiting until the promised future version of Caesar is released."

Read the entire review here

Medieval 2 Total War v1.1 patch is available for download. Download the patch here.

STAR TREK: LEGACY is an epic game of Starfleet combat spanning the entire Star Trek Universe, featuring all the ships from every episode, every film. Players become the Admiral of a task force of warships and must lead their fleet to victory in large-scale battles complete with stunning visuals and special effects.

GameTrailers.com shows you the add-ons that make the Xbox 360 all that, and perhaps a bag of chips.

"This is still traditional Medal of Honor stuff - five increasingly dangerous missions across war-torn Europe, each one meticulously based on real-life campaigns - but instead of rolling up in an armoured boat/tank/motorbike and sidecar/other vehicle of choice, as was the case in previous games, each level begins with a parachute jump out the side of a Douglas C47 airplane. The beauty of this is that, because your parachute can be controlled, it's technically possible to land at any point on the map, which should lead to some interesting start points for your soldier..."

Read the entire preview here

Ubisoft today announced that Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas for the PC has shipped and is now available in retail stores.

For more information about Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas, please visit www.rainbowsixgame.com.

Rainbow Six: Vegas Auto-Update has been released. Addressing a number of bugs in the single and multiplayer modes, the patch has been requested by gamers for a while now, and it's certainly nice to see a company supporting a game after release.

Read the entire article here

Havok announced that Lionhead Studios have licensed Havok Complete for use in the upcoming Xbox 360 exclusive RPG, Fable 2.

A firm release date for the game has not been given at this point. Fable 2 was shown in trailer form at this year's E3, but we in-game screenshots or movies have yet to be released.



Source: IGN

Assault Heroes is available now on the marketplace and will only set you back 800 points.

Name: Assault Heroes
Price: 800 points
Available in: All Xbox Live regions
Dash Details: Single Player, Xbox Live Multiplayer 1-2, 5.1 Surround Sound, HD (High Definition). Buy Assault Heroes - the ultimate arcade shooter! Destroy an underground lab filled with deadly contents. Blast your way through enemy-infested territory. Take out choppers, boats, tanks, and monstrous weapons of doom with your heavily armed 4x4 and speedboat. Battle alone or with a comrade in online co-op. Buy the full game now and unlock guaranteed nonstop action!

"Based on what we played, MotorStorm is shaping up to be a tasty PS3 game. It features a solid gameplay foundation that's satisfying, albeit straightforward. The visuals and audio complement the action well and do a good job of holding your attention. The promise of online play and downloadable content (provided we don't get charged an arm and a leg for it) should definitely help the game find an audience. MotorStorm is currently slated to ship in March 2007. Look for more on the game in the coming months, including import impressions of the Japanese version, which is slated for this month..."

Read the entire preview here

Sure Gears of War is incredible, but what's coming down the line?

2K Games sent over new screenshots of BioWare's Jade Empire Special Edition for the PC:

"Imagine playing a game that is so amazing, all you think about all day is going home and playing it. Imagine a game so breathtaking, that you are drawn into its realm, feeling as though you really are a part of this virtual world. Imagine a game so enjoyable, it is almost orgasmic. Now that you are salivating over Gears of War, let me bring you back down to reality and tell you about a game called The History Channel Presents: Civil War"

Read the entire review here

Flagship Studios today announced that it has expanded operations with the formation of a new development studio: Flagship Seattle, currently working on Mythos, an online role-playing game that will be used to test the networking technology behind the multiplayer component of the highly-anticipated action role-playing game Hellgate: London. Mythos will be digitally distributed by Flagship Studios subsidiary Ping0, LLC in North America and Europe in 2007. HanbitSoft, Flagship Studios' partner in Ping0, will be responsible for distributing Mythos in Asia.

Source: WorthPlaying.com

"The general idea behind Stronghold Legends is a good one. There's nothing inherently wrong with taking a castle-building sim and tossing in fantasy units as a change of pace from earlier games in the series. But if you are going to make combat the central focus of a game, that combat better be, at the bare minimum, on par with other real-time strategy games, and Legends fails miserably in that regard. It's clearly time for both 2K Games and Firefly Studios to take a long, hard look at this series. If they want it to compete with the A-List games currently on the market, a new graphics engine combined with a total reworking of the combat mechanics need to be considered before we see another game in the Stronghold line..."

Read the entire review here

"Yesterday, we had the opportunity to check in with Funcom Game Director Gaute Godager to check out the latest build of Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures As one of the official showcase games for Microsoft Vista, Age of Conan is being built from the ground up with DirectX10 in mind—so if you've ponied up for that new 8800GTX, this will be one of the first games that'll show you where all your hard-earned money went. We were also intrigued to see the game after news broke it would support Microsoft's Xbox 360 earlier in the week. The last time we saw Age of Conan was at E3. How has it shaped up since then? Let's take a look and see..."

Read the entire preview here

"Due to issues with the "February 2006" demo (as reported by our players), we have now posted up the latest demo version "August 2006". We used the patches from version 1.40, built in August 2006. If you noticed issues with demo from February 2006, please feel free to download the latest version HERE.

If problems still occur with your system, please send an email with detailed description to support at cypron-studios.com"

The sequel to the 2006 Game of the Year is coming...

SEGA® of America Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced that Obsidian Entertainment will create a role-playing game based on the Alien film franchise with license from Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising. This title will be developed for the next-generation systems and the PC.

Read the entire press release here

Finally, a great looking portable Star Wars game, heavy on the action.

After Earth becomes uninhabitable, mankind moves to a new home where survival might not be so easy.

About:

Take control of Earth Command Lieutenant, Aileen Harding, as she adventures through intense sci-fi battles against hordes of unique aliens and huge bosses. With an array of special abilities and combat powers, you’ll draw on quick reflexes and skill plus a wide choice of weapons, armor, and items to defeat increasingly formidable opponents.

Features:

• In-depth gameplay with 15 intricate levels and multiple side quests for 15-20 hours of action-packed adventure.
• Completely customize your character to expand in-game strategy options.
• Intense and action-packed with 110 monsters, 15 sub-bosses and five main bosses to fight using 80 weapons and hundreds of armor types and bonus items.
• Rely on your loyal droid assistant to fight alongside you and exchange or improve your weapons and armor at any time.
• Venture through the expansive sci-fi world with up to four friends wirelessly.
• The best sci-fi action-RPG gameplay available for Nintendo's Wii™ system and the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system.

This time there are some effects that Destan Engine v2.0 can generate. You can see effects like virtual displacement mapping, soft particles and full screen shader effects. They don't increase the playability of the game, but they definitely make it look a lot better.





For more information click here

Funcom announces that 'Age of Conan' is approved for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console. The announcement means that the highly anticipated Massively Multiplayer Online game (MMO) has received the green light from Microsoft, and that Funcom can start official development of an Xbox 360 version of the game.

Information about publisher, release date and potential console specific features will be revealed at a later stage as Funcom starts production of the Xbox 360 version of 'Age of Conan'.

Read the entire press release here

Should console owners be happy, or bear a Grudge with this Xbox 360 port of the PC shooter?

Find out here

Developed specifically for Xbox Live Arcade, this fresh, innovative action combat game from Wanako Studios and published by Sierra Online, a division of Vivendi Games, will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 beginning Wednesday, December 13, after 0800 GMT (1:00 a.m. PST).

There are plenty of games out there to satiate our seemingly endless need for senseless crime and violence. Scarface: The World is Yours is the latest in the distinguished line of crime empire building/run around with a machine gun and kill everyone type of game. It has everything you’d expect: killing, abundant profanity, graphic violence, gameplay bugs, a great storyline and a soundtrack...

Read the entire review here

Electronic Arts Inc. today announced an agreement to publish Sony Online Entertainment's Untold Legends™ Dark Kingdom™ for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system for PAL territories across Europe. In line with the top-selling PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system game, Untold Legends Dark Kingdom is an action role-playing game (RPG) offering high definition graphics, cinematic storytelling and in-depth character progression. Expanded game-play through the PLAYSTATION® Network will also be featured.

Read the entire press release here

The Show will be relesead in Spring 2007 for PC.

All told, Full Auto 2: Battlelines is a significant improvement over its predecessor on the 360. Still, if you've already had enough of screaming through town, annihilating enemies and -- wait, if you've had enough of that, you can hang up your controller and sell your PS3 on eBay. With the limited library of PS3 titles available, Full Auto 2 would make an excellent addition for any of those lucky few that actually own a PS3, or a spectacular under-the-tree gift this holiday (hint, hint, mom and dad).

Read the entire review here

Though brief, my time with MotorStorm was intensely gratifying. For those that don't want to get too hung up in the "racing" aspect of racing games and would prefer a more bare-knuckles approach, MotorStorm is a masterwork. Granted, I only got to run through the first three tracks, but the desert setting of the game and the constant barrage of rust-colored grime grow a bit repetitive. That said, I was surprised by the amount of diversity they were able to work into such a constrained environment (which, at this early stage, was still not quite as interactive as I would have liked, but there's still plenty of time left to add more). Looking at the slim library of titles in the PS3 stable, MotorStorm is most likely destined to be among the first must-own games for the system.

Read the entire review here

The fun, addicting, award-winning series continues with Virtua Tennis 3, built specifically for next-gen consoles. With ultra-realistic graphics and precise player control, gamers will hit the court and play as or against today's tennis elite including Federer, Sharapova, Roddick, Nadal, and Williams. A new multiplayer mode allows up to four friends to battle it out on 23 courts around the world. As they serve up their best in a mix of exhibitions, tournaments and competitions, players will rise through the ranks and battle for the top spot!

Until I'm Gone is a "2.5D" 3rd person point-and-click adventure game with horror elements and a psychological subtext. It takes place in a small mountain village covered with snow at Christmas time. The main hero is "forced" to travel to Pitfall Mountain by his lady-friend. Soon after he arives, the village is cut off civilization due to a huge snowstorm, and Nathan, who has to stay there until the storm blows over, unwittingly starts to reveal the ‘small’ secrets of this "romantic" village.

SEGA and Twentieth Century Fox today announced a worldwide exclusive agreement to bring game content based on the critically-acclaimed Alien film franchise to next-generation gaming systems. Multiple titles, including a first-person shooter and a role playing game, are currently in pre-production with the first to be released in 2009.

Read the entire press release here

Two online game stores (GameStop, WebHallen) have started offering Collector's Edition of Tiberium Wars for pre-order.

GameStop lists the following features to be added in this special edition:

* Gamestop exclusive Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars in-game map
* Gamestop exclusive Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars wallpaper
* Command and Conquer Gold, the complete game
* Exclusive Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars trailer
* Exclusive Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars wallpaper
* A glimpse of the making-of video included in the Kane Edition C&C 3 collector's pack
* Glimpse at the Full Motion Videos – in-game actor cut scenes
* GDI Tips and Strategy video

Additionally, WebHallen lists the following:

* English only -no localisation
* 3-5 exclusive maps
* 3 re-skin of units
* "Making of" the game feature
* FMV deleted scenes
* Strategy videos from members of the C&C 3 team for both multi-player and single player
* English only Euro pack - no localisation
* Will prominently feature "Kane" - hence the "Kane Edition".
* Limited Edn - with possibility of numbering the pack


Source: GameSpy.com

All in all I felt this expansion/additional content disc is well worth the money if you're a big Oblivion fan. The additional content slips straight into your game and works seamlessly, so no requirement to start a new game or anything silly like that. As such, it's really hard to complain. There is almost certainly over 6 hours of playable content here as well as new additions that will add depth to the original game. My only problem with this is that there probably isn't enough to entice you're average Oblivion fan out of retirement. A lot of the quests are specific to certain types of character. Where an expansion pack will tend to cater for everyone with a few more hours of play, the impact these mini expansions will have on you is completely dependant on what type of game you like to play. You can download the content individually online here, or alternatively pick up the retail boxed copy for £14.99.

Read the entire review here

Who's big, red and enjoys the liberal application of fist? No, we're not referring to a perverted Santa Clause - we're actually talking about our favourite friendly demon, Hellboy. Star of a woefully underrated film, a long-running comic book, and even his own animated series, Hellboy is the man's man of the underworld. He begrudgingly kicks demon butt when duty calls, but would much rather play with kittens instead. Hellboy has already made one outing to the video game world, back in 2004, but that dismal effort has since been banished to the seventh level of Hell. And even down there, the first game is so ugly that it makes the piles of decomposing corpses and giant lakes of baby vomit that surround it look pretty.

Read the entire preview here

With its mixture of arcade and off-road racing, Nintendo's ExciteTruck for the Wii is an immensely playable and addictive driving game. The game is all about speed, with massive boosts, jumps and ever-changing terrain keeping players on their toes. It utilizes the Wii controller effectively with unique control system allows precise steering, body English and stunts to be performed easily. Multiple play modes include both solo and multiplayer games, with challenge and standard arcade modes included. It's not the deepest game you'll ever play, but ExciteTruck delivers a thrilling racing experience that shows off the Wii brilliantly.

Read the entire review here

Electronic Arts today announced that Burnout™ Dominator is in development exclusively for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system.

Burnout Dominator will ship in 2007 under the EA brand and is developed by EA's UK Studio team in Guildford, UK.

Read the entire EA Press Release

Theseis is an upcoming third person Xbox 360 and PC adventure game, created by Track7 Games. The game is set in modern day Greece, and follows the story of Andronicus Kalogirou, as he searches for his missing, and presumed dead, step-father.

KOEI announced a North American ship date of February 27, 2007 for Samurai Warriors 2 Empires on both the Xbox 360 and PS2.

Key product features include vicious multi-Musou attacks with up to four officers, 5 "Unification scenarios plus 6 "Regional" scenarios, over 400 playable characters to choose from, a create your own warrior mode, as well as 2-player co-op play.

Developed by KOEI's award-winning internal team, Omega Force, Samurai Warriors 2 Empires is not yet rated by the ESRB. Samurai Warriors 2 Empires for Xbox 360 is compatible with 480p and 720p HDTV, and features in game Dolby Digital audio.

Hellgate: London was looking as sharp as we were hoping it would. The game already displays all the addictive elements you have come to expect from the best action RPGs, with an awesome presentation and tons of graphical flourishes on top of them. The game is due out sometime in 2007, and you can be sure we'll have more on it as soon as we another chance to play.

Read more here

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is a game in development by IO Interactive for the PC and Xbox 360.



Source: WorthPlaying

Fuzion Frenzy 2 is a multiplayer party game for the Xbox 360. It is the sequel to the original Fuzion Frenzy, which was a launch title for the original Xbox.

Developer: Hudson Soft
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release date: February 2007
Genre: Party game
Mode: Single player, Co-Op Play, Multiplayer, Xbox Live
Rating: ESRB: Rating Pending (RP)
PEGI: Rating Pending (RP)
Platform: Xbox 360

New Pirates of the Burning Sea avatar combat screenshots has been released:

Here are screenshots Voodoo Extreme snapped off from the retail version of Star Trek Legacy. These are from the "Enterprise" era:





View more screenshots here

Dark Sector is a Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 game currently under production by Digital Extremes.

Dark Sector will be released in Q3 2007.

Ubisoft announced that Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter™ 2, the next installment in the popular squad-based action franchise, is currently in development for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and Windows® PC. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 is being developed by the award-winning teams that created the original Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter™ in Ubisoft’s Paris and Red Storm Studios. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 is scheduled for worldwide release in Spring 2007.




For more infomation click here

Funcom bring you six more screenshots from Age of Conan. Take a look at how a Stygian slave galley looks like from the inside, or get a dramatic view from a Guardian fighting a horde of Vanirs!

Watch the new Mass Effect X06 gameplay video featuring planetary exploration, squad-based combat, special abilities and powers, and new examples of the revolutionary dialogue system. Casey Hudson walks us through the amazing highlights.

Game Info

• Rise to power in a city where you must be both a talented businessman and a strong fighter.
• Skill based RPG/RTS in contemporary big city setting
• Expand your empire by taking over the city
• Drain neighborhoods for resources
• Challenge your friends in different multiplayer modes
• Living and breathing 3D city

Enlight, one of the world's leading developers and publishers of entertainment software for the PC platform, announced the next installment in the award-winning sports Mogul series, Football Mogul 2007. As the premier sports statistical-simulation game on the market, football fans will experience all the intense excitement and strategic challenge that they have come to expect from the series. Football Mogul 2007 will ship to North American retail stores in December, just in time for the holidays, at an SRP of $19.99.

For more information click here

Here are the top ten best-selling PlayStation 3 games for November 2006, as provided by the NPD Group:

1. Resistance: Fall of Man
   
2. Madden NFL 07
   
3. Call of Duty 3
   
4. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
   
5. Ridge Racer 7
   
6. Need for Speed: Carbon
   
7. Tony Hawk's Project 8
   
8. NBA 2K7
   
9. NBA 07
   
10. Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom

Ubisoft announced the publication of the extension The Settlers II: the Next Generation - The Vikings.

The Settlers II: the Next Generation - The Vikings will be released in February 2007.





Official website

Sierra has released an English playable demo for Eragon:


- 3D Gamers

- GamersHell


Eragon™ PC DEMO README
----------------------
9/18/2006

I: INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
----------------------------
Double-click on the eragon_demo_en.exe file and follow the on-screen instructions to install this demo.

II: DIRECTX®
--------------
DirectX® 9.0c or higher is required in order to run this demo. If you do not already have it installed on your computer, you can download it from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.mspx.

III: RUNNING THE GAME
---------------------
When the Eragon PC Demo is installed, there is a short cut placed in the Windows® Start Menu if you selected that option during install. Click on the "Eragon Demo" shortcut to begin the game.

IV: MACHINE SPECS
-------------------
Operating system: Windows® 2000/XP (Windows x64 NOT supported)
DirectX: 9.0c, or higher
CPU: 1.4 GHz Intel® Pentium® 4 or equivalent AMD® Athlon™ or faster processor
RAM: 512 MB RAM or more
Hard drive: 270 MB of free drive space, or more
Optical drive: CD-ROM
Video card: NVIDIA® GeForce®, ATI® Radeon®, or equivalent DirectX® 9.0c-compliant, 128 MB 3D video card with Hardware Transform and Lighting capability and pixel shader support
Audio card: DirectX 9-compatible audio card
Mouse: Windows compatible mouse
Keyboard: Windows compatible keyboard
Gamepad: Windows-compatible USB gamepad with eleven buttons and dual analog sticks (Recommended)

V: CHARACTER CONTROLS (GAMEPAD)
---------------------------------
Any DirectX or Xbox 360™ compatible joystick, with at least an analog stick and eleven buttons, will work.

VI: CHARACTER CONTROLS (KEYBOARD)
---------------------------------
Not recommended! These are the keyboard gamepad mappings that will activate when a gamepad is not detected:

Function Key
-------- ---
Pause RETURN/ENTER
Move Forward W
Move Backward S
Move Left A
Move Right D
Quick Attack J
Strong Attack (Grab) K
Block (Evade) L
Jump I
Bow Mode LEFT SHIFT
Magic Mode SPACEBAR
Fury Mode Q

Bethesda Softworks® released a patch for Star Trek: Legacy for PC in their Downloads section. It addresses problems with Internet multiplayer.

Source: TeamXbox

Sony today released new screenshots from MotorStorm for the PlayStation 3:

We make the dangerous journey into the abandoned city of Chernobyl, the site of one of the most cataclysmic nuclear disasters in history, to bring you classified information about the upcoming first-person shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. We played the game in both single player and multiplayer, grown an extra finger or two in the process, and learned everything about the game which has until now been shrouded in secrecy.

Read more here

Eidos has released new screenshots of the Xbox 360 version of the game:




Source: TeamXbox

More than any other console or company, Nintendo's reputation is built around their franchises. Though Mario is the poster boy for the company, when it comes to critical acclaim and the adoration of the fans, probably no other name is more heralded than that of Link. So with the launch of the Wii, of course someone from Nintendo's staple would have to show, and luckily fans have The Legend of Zelda to look forward to...

Click here to read The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess review

RoboBlitz, the latest Xbox Live Arcade title, has a number of notable differences from previous releases. Most obvious is that it's not a well-known coin-op classic, such as Galaga and Pac-Man.

However, it's also interesting that the game was built on Epic's Unreal Engine, which powers Gears of War and the Unreal franchise, among others. It's not common for a "casual" game like RoboBlitz to be made with such advanced development tools-though it does weigh in at nearly 50MB, so it's hardly a simple game.

One result is that RoboBlitz is also a bit more expensive than most XBLA games. It costs a pretty penny to license the Unreal Engine, and while it provides a solid foundation that can save a developer a lot of time and effort, in this case it seems that some of that cost needs to be passed on to the player. And with a price of 1200 points (or about $15), you have to expect a bit more from the game.

Is it worth the cost? Find out here

Swedish publisher Legendo Entertainment announced Attack on Pearl Harbor, an arcade-style air combat game for PC CD-ROM set in World War II's Pacific Theater. Planned for release in Q1 2007, more information can be had at the game's website: www.pearlharbor-game.com.

Europa Universalis III spans the entire globe and contain more than 250 playable countries. In these countries, players will find approximately 1700 provinces at their disposal.

The development and status of a province is readily available to players and helps players control their country as they lead their nation to success through decades of historical events.

• Population: A province’s population has a significant impact on the wealth of the province. The larger the population, the more tax income it will generate for its owner.
• Supply Limit: Each province is able to feed and support a limited number of active armed forces. The supply limit depends on the base supply value of the province, its production, the terrain, and the level of for­tification (if any).
• Max. Attrition: This reflects how rapidly an army will lose men if it exceeds the prov­ince’s supply limit, and depends primarily on the terrain and its level of military tech­nology.
• Revolt Risk: This is the provincial equiva­lent of stability and closely tied to your country’s stability. Any positive revolt risk value indicates that there is a risk that this province may rebel against your coun­try.
• Culture: each country has a primary state culture and may have one or more cultures that it considers acceptable.
• Manpower: The work force of the province is based primarily on its popula­tion, although there are other things that may increase its value, including your do­mestic policies and national ideas.
• Garrison: If the province has a fortification of any size, the number of troops currently garrisoning it will determine how long an enemy must besiege the province before it is captured. If the enemy attempts to storm the walls, the garrison will rally to defend the city.

Each province generates a monthly amount of income, through taxation and production that contributes to a country’s economy. In addition, trade will be an important component for any country.

The drastic changes undergone by provinces and countries during 300 years are but one of the aspects reflected in Europa Universalis III. Players will get a real sense of the period while experiencing the building of new cathedrals and universities, the centralization of tax collection and many other national programs. Watching military power slowly make the transition from periodic re­gional levies to permanent standing armies of conscripts and ships gradually become larger and both more seaworthy and powerful in addition to a host of other movements towards modernization.

Europa Universalis III will be shipping to stores on January 23, 2006 in North America and January 26 in Europe.

Download Earth Defense Force X Trailer (30 MB)

Rogue Warrior™ a Tactical Shooter for Xbox 360™, PLAYSTATION®3, and Windows Coming in 2007

World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade is the exciting new expansion to Blizzard's award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game. It expands the game by tremendous bounds, adding new races, lands, Battlegrounds, professions and items, and more. Here is just a partial list of what you can expect from the World of Warcraft expansion: