New Demos and Patches

505 Games and 1C Company have released a single-player demo for "Men of War", giving players a chance to try out the upcoming real-time strategy game.

"The demo features the entire opening stage of the Russian campaign, which sees a small unit from the Red Army taking on the might of the Germans. This initial mission helps players to get to grips with the controls before culminating in a tightly fought battle between a Russian tank and a convoy of German vehicles."

The 248MB demo can be downloaded from AtomicGamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, GameUpdates (torrent), Strategy Informer, or Worthplaying.

A "Codename Panzers: Cold War" single-player demo has been released, giving players a chance to try out the upcoming strategy game by Stormregion.

"During the Cold War conflict, a period in which the differences of opinion between the occupying forces of the Allies and the Soviet Union become ever sharper, an aircraft accident occurs over Tempelhof Airport during the Berlin Blockade resulting in grave consequences. The tragic collision of an American airplane carrying relief goods with a Russian fighter plane costs not only the lives of both crews, but also overstretches the already tense relations between the occupying forces. Under the command of the merciless Stalin, the Red Army has undergone a tremendous expansion at the end of the Second World War and has more-or-less been waiting for the right time to extend their territory to the West by attacking the NATO forces. This incident thus gives Stalin all the incentive that he requires!"

The 909MB demo can be downloaded from AtomicGamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, GameUpdates (torrent), or Worthplaying.

Activision and Treyarch have released a new patch for "Call of Duty: World at War", bringing the WWII first-person shooter to version 1.2. Steam users will have to wait a couple of days as usual.

The ~500MB patch can be downloaded from AtomicGamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, or Worthplaying.

Items addressed in 1.2:

• Free Multiplayer Map! The tide is out and the sun is high – this daytime version of Makin sheds new light on the battle!
• Fixed exploits that allowed for power ranking servers.
• Fixed router related server authentication errors.
• Fixed HTTP Redirect functionality for downloading mods
• Fixed sound device crashes stemming from Emulated Sound Devices
• Fixed exploit which allowed players to color their name tag.
• Hits now register properly while targeted player is leaning.
• Enabled /cg_drawfps in multiplayer games.
• Fixed command-line +connect functionality
• /cg_fov no longer resets to the default value in between matches.
• Dedicated servers automatically reconnect to the Master Server in case the Master Server resets.
• "Accept Game Invite" is bound to its default key, F10.
• Implemented fix for attempting to join password protected servers from the server browser.
• Fine tuned Bolt-Action Rifles for balance.
• Screenshots no longer overwrite each other.
• Fixed various multiplayer map related issues and exploits.

"We are aware that /record is not on this list, but are happy to say we’ve already begun working on a Patch 1.3 which will address /record. More details on that patch will emerge after the 1.2 release."

A demo for "Grand Ages: Rome" has been released, giving players a chance to try out the upcoming strategy game by Haemimont Games.

":Grand Ages: Rome is a stunning strategy game based in Ancient Rome during the rise of Julius Caesar. As a member of a prominent noble family, players will be immersed in the intrigue and adventure of the rising Roman Empire, rubbing shoulders with some of the greatest historical figures of the era. Grand-scale city building and detailed combat scenarios unfold against a backdrop of breathtakingly detailed environments. Players can choose from historical campaign and freestyle game modes along with advanced online multiplayer controls."

The 875MB demo can be downloaded from Atomic Gamer, FileFront, Gamer’s Hell, Strategy Informer, or Worthplaying.

Shrapnel Games has released a new patch for "War Plan Pacific", bringing the turn-based strategy game by KE Studios to version 1.0.1.0123.

The patch not only shoots down the dreaded Model 99 Bug but enhances the overall gameplay experience.

The patch includes the following fixes/additions to the full retail version of War Plan Pacific:

Bugs

• If an invasion fleet without carriers attacked a base without any defending aircraft (either carrier or land based) the invasion would silently fail. Fixed.
• Saving and reloading on turn 1 no longer provides the Japanese extra SNLF groups.
• Task Force mission text now updates if transport groups are added or removed (changes from Raid to Invasion and vice-versa).
• Occasionally "ghost" patrol icons would remain even after all patrols were cancelled. Gamers no longer have to be spooked by these, as this has been fixed.
• Spelling errors in scenario files fixed.

Enhancements

• Music and Sound now support three levels: Full (louder setting for those playing using laptop speakers), Quiet and Off.
• Added extra feedback for base growth. Now bases will show a lighter colored segment of their size bar to indicate growth during the previous turn. Note: this only appears during single player games to maintain compatibility between versions for multiplayer.
• The Allied AI has received several boosts. It is slightly less aggressive in raiding the Home Islands, more aggressive in reopening the Sea Lanes, and not as static during the first turn.
• Increased reaction moves. Task forces on patrol can now respond to action up to 72 hours sailing time, instead of the one day limit in the initial release. The reaction limit can also now be changed in the scenario file. In multiplayer games both players must have patched to the latest version or the mechanic will default to the original one day limit.

The 24MB patch is available to download on the Shrapnel Games website, AtomicGamer, FileFront, Gamer’s Hell, or Worthplaying.

Valve announced the release of a new update for "Left 4 Dead", which includes fixes, tweaks, and new features. This update will be applied automatically via Steam for PC players.

Changelist:

General

• Fixed Survivors being able to climb surfaces marked for versus infected only.
• Fixed a class of SurvivorBot bugs dealing with rescuing downed players.
• Players can no longer grab ladders while flying through the air after a Tank punch.
• Shooting near a car with an alarm that has already fired the alarm will no longer make chirping noises.
• Improved loading time.
• Fixed mini-gun physics exploit.
• Fixed propane tanks (and other physics objects) causing players to fall through elevators.
• Fixed rare achievement bug issues.
• Fixed several map exploits.
• Fixed various match making issues.
• Fixed NAT traversal issues.

Versus Changes

• Added HUD elements to show status of other infected players.
• Changed color of infected player name in chat to red.
• Fixed exploit where players could spawn infected bots
• Fixed instance where a Survivor changing to the infected team would be attacked by infected bots.
• Normalized special infected melee damage.
• Made the following client commands cheat protected: "Kill" and "explode".
• Fixed exploit where infected players could run away and teleport back to gain health.
• Players can only change teams once per map.
• Players can’t change teams while other players are still loading.
• Tank spawns at the same % through the map for both teams in versus mode.
• Made the Tank and Witch spawn directly on the escape route.
• Increased chance of getting the Tank or Witch.
• Fixed team swap issue.

Hunter

• Easier to pounce a Survivor who is meleeing.
• Increased Minimum damage a Hunter pounce does.

Smoker

• Fixed Smoker tongue tolerance.
• Smoker now has to be killed or the tongue destroyed for the tongue to break.
• Survivor’s cannot bash someone off the tongue until the Survivor being pulled is paralyzed or hanging
• Tongue attacks that fail to paralyze or hang a Survivor will use the shorter ability delay timer.
• Fixed cases where the ability timer was not using the correct time.
• Fixed case where you could point at a Survivor but not register a tongue hit
• Fixed Smoker tongue not targeting and landing properly through PZ ghosts.
• Smoker tongue does damage every second while dragging paralyzed Survivors.

Tank

• Bashable objects now appear with a red glow.
• Tanks hitting a car with an alarm disables the alarm permanently.
• Tank frustration timer is only reset by hitting Survivors with rocks or fists.
• Reduced autoshotgun damage against Tanks.

Witch

• Witch spawns at the same % through the map for both teams.
• Avoids spawning within a certain % of the tank.
• Fixed an exploit where the Witch could be woken up and tricked into attacking Survivors.

Ubisoft has released a new patch for "Far Cry 2", bringing the game to version 1.02 and finally adding support for widescreens and multiple monitors.

If you had problems applying the 1st patch (1.01), please apply this cumulative patch.

STEAM users: Please wait until the patch is available through Steam.

The 52MB patch can be downloaded from AtomicGamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, Strategy Informer, or Worthplaying.

General changes

• Added triple-header support to the game.
• A widescreen option has been added and can be enabled only in single player mode.

Multiplayer changes

• Fixed the direct join by IP functionality.
• Added the minimum number of players in the host options.
• Added the player’s death count in the scoreboard.
• The host can now set the respawn time in Advanced options, for player matches only.
• The host can now set the starting rank of all players in the match, in Advanced options, for player matches only.
• The VIP is shown on the scoreboard, for your team only.
• The scoreboard is now displayed by the highest XP points to the lowest.
• The ping system has been improved to display a more accurate result.
• It is now possible to conduct a multiplayer match search from the map leader board.
• Fixed certain characters that weren’t allowed during profile creation (- . _ ,)
• It is now possible to add a clan name to the player¡¦s name through the use_clan_tag console command.
• Players can now filter the server list using different parameters (ping, PunkBuster, game mode, dedicated, server name, number of players, ranked/unranked).
• The IEDs are now destructible by shooting on them or throwing a grenade close to them.
• In ranked matches, players can now play more than one match on the same host.
• Added quickmatch to the map download screen. It will matchmake on the selected map.
• The distance from a wounded teammate is now displayed.
• The host can now select a VIP before starting the match.
• It is now possible to use the use_clan_tag command.
• Fixed a bug with clan tag and multiple clients
• Multiplayer: Minimum players numbers default setting is now 4
• Fixed some unrepresentative text in the scoreboard.
• Added text to display distance when teamate is down
• Fix a freeze issue in match list if the player press ESC after trying to enter in a match with a password.

Shrapnel Games has released a "War Plan Pacific" demo, giving players a chance to try out the upcoming strategy game by KE Studios.

"Taste a slice of what to expect in the game by commanding either the Imperial Japanese forces as they rampage across the Pacific from December 1941 until March 1942, or begin the journey to Japan as the Allies and experience the fight from August 1942 through November 1942. Unlike the full game, the demo is limited to single player only, and lacks the ability to save.

The full version of War Plan Pacific is slated to ship within a week. Available only for Windows, War Plan Pacific is a turn-based grand strategic game of the epic conflict between Imperial Japan and the Western Allies during the Second World War. Players can command the historical forces of Japan, the United States, Great Britain, Australia, and the Netherlands in three different scenarios providing historical and alternate set-ups, playable against either the AI or a live opponent via the Internet.

Inspired in part by the classic Avalon Hill board game on the subject, Victory in the Pacific, War Plan Pacific has a comfortable tabletop feel while embracing the digital experience. And just like that classic title, War Plan Pacific was designed from the ground up to be playable in a single session. Average play time is under three hours. And yes, that’s from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay.

While the game plays fast don’t confuse playability with a lack of historical gameplay. John Hawkins, developer of War Plan Pacific, has simply distilled down the Pacific conflict into its more important aspects, creating a game that holds true to reality while not becoming mired with details. Players will find that they can pursue historical strategies in their bid for victory, or branch off and set their own course.

Turns are one month long, and units represent individual ships of light cruiser size or larger, amphibious and transport groups, and air groups. War Plan Pacific emphasizes air and naval combat, abstracting land combat. Combat is handled via a battleboard, and much like the game at large, provides players with many interesting decisions while never weighing them down.

But enough talk! See for yourself what War Plan Pacific has to offer by downloading the demo right now from Shrapnel Games. Just follow this link and download away!"

The 111MB demo can be downloaded from The Official Site, AtomicGamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, or Worthplaying.

Battlefront.com has released a "Strategic Command: WWII Pacific Theater" demo, giving players a chance to try out the latest installment in the strategy series by Fury Software. The game has also been released to purchase online.

This demo includes TWO playable campaigns:

• 1941 Operation Z is the main theatre campaign that starts on December 7, 1941 with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor followed by landings and advancement in South East Asia including Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, and the Dutch East Indies. The demo campaign is limited to 6 months of game time.
• 1945 Operation Detachment was the United States capture of the island of Iwo Jima from Japan, producing some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific Campaign of World War II. This mini-campaign is included IN FULL without turn restrictions in the demo!

Multiplayer modes are disabled in the demo but the campaigns are playable against the AI as either side.

The 148MB demo can be downloaded from The Official Site, AtomicGamer, or Worthplaying.

The first patch for the newly released adventure game "A Vampyre Story" has been released, fixing a couple of bugs and adding a few tweaks.

The 19MB patch can be downloaded from AtomicGamer, FileFront, Gamer’s Hell, or Worthplaying.

This patch can be used for all versions of the game currently available: US, UK, France, Germany & download versions.

The suggested installation path is the same as with the game. Selecting a different path will add "A Vampyre Story" after the selected path. Make sure to correct this, if you renamed the actual game directory.

Fixes:

• Less "stuck" animations. If problem still occurs, restart game.
• Removed two bugs (perfume and stadium) that could prevent further playing
• Support for graphics cards without AA: if the game did not start on your system, select "Safe AA" during patch installation to set AA to 0.
• Small bug fixes and tweaks

A new patch for "Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3" has been released, bringing the latest installment in the real-time strategy series to version 1.05.

The 127MB patch can be downloaded from The Official Site, AtomicGamer, FileFront, FileShack, or Worthplaying.

Note: The above links lead to the English version of the patch but other language options are also available at the above mirrors.

Here are the major highlights:

• DRM De-authorization – if you’ve maxed out at 5 machines, you can easily de-authorize any installation in-game with a few simple clicks
• Balance exploit fix – Added capture delay on Engineers
• Balancing Allies vs. Empire of the Rising Sun — Specifically tuning Allied aircraft rush against Rising Sun
• Added the ability to see player’s stats in the online lobby
• Added Co-op lobbies – so you can easily find your next best-friend-co-Commander
• Official Release of Red Alert 3 Worldbuilder – download it above!
• A critical list of balance and technical changes – click the forum thread link to view the entire list

You can find the full changelist on the Red Alert forums.

A new patch for "Gothic 3: Forsaken Gods" has been released, bringing the recently released add-on to version 1.06.

The 73MB patch can be downloaded from AtomicGamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, Strategy Informer, or Worthplaying.

The most important changes:

   1. Some potential Main-quest blockers fixed
   2. Pathfinding and quest issues fixed
   3. Missing texts
   4. Gameplay elements have been improved
   5. Graphical and performance improvements (including stability issues)

EA has released a "Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3" demo, giving players a chance to try out the latest installment in the series by EA LA.

"Red Alert 3 asks the question "What If?" What if every bizarre research project and technology experiment for the last 70 years had actually borne fruit? What if the Philadelphia Experiment, time travel theory, teleportation, invisibility, Tesla technology, and a hundred other intriguing research projects had all paid off and gone mainstream? What if the Soviet Union survived and thrived; what would it look like 10 years in the future? What if the Japanese Empire had never fallen and instead became the ultimate high-tech military superpower? The end result is an imaginative and playful vision of an alternate future filled with possibility."

The 1.8GB demo can be downloaded from AtomicGamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, Strategy Informer, or Worthplaying.

Lighthouse Interactive has released two "Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches" demos, giving players a chance to try out the adventure game by Arberth Studios that was released in October.

"Both demos give players a chance to experience the mystical Celtic atmosphere and peek into the world of a lonely teenage girl named Rhiannon. In Demo #1, players play Chapter 1: Arrival, where they may explore the remote Welsh farmstead known as Ty Pryderi. In Demo #2, players can have a go at Chapter 5: Boswell’s Office, an underground office located beneath Ty Pryderi. These demos highlight the engaging and unusual challenges unique to Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches.

Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches, a game based on the gripping tales of the Mabinogion, a collection of stories from medieval Welsh manuscripts, is deep rooted in Celtic mythology and follows the present day haunting of a lonely teenage girl named Rhiannon, as she unwillingly enters a world filled with supernatural phenomena, magic, and legend.

This highly acclaimed Mythological Adventure game for Windows® is now available at retail outlets across the United Kingdom, including GAME®, Amazon®, Play.com®, the Lighthouse Interactive European Web Shop, and via digital download at GamersGate.com. Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches is a must-have Adventure game you don’t want to miss this holiday season!"

Demo #1 (75MB) can be downloaded from Atomic Gamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, Strategy Informer, or Worthplaying.

Demo #2 (80MB) is available to download at Atomic Gamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, Strategy Informer, or Worthplaying.

A new patch for the multiplayer portion of "Crysis Warhead" has been released, bringing multiplayer to version 1.2.

The 45.5MB patch can be downloaded from AtomicGamer, FileFront, FileShack, Gamer’s Hell, Strategy Informer, or Worthplaying.

Fixes

• Fixed:Several client and server crashes
• Fixed: Several memory leaks
• Fixed: "" in level names in levelrotation.xml will now work
• Fixed: Incorrect weapon recoil after zooming
• Fixed: Claymore mines sometimes did not detect enemy players
• Fixed: Potential exploits using client cvars
• Fixed: Players not able to skip intro movies
• Fixed: Reloading and shooting with the AY-69 will not cause a second reload animation anymore
• Fixed: Saving of Favourite Servers and Last Played Server list

Improvements  

• Balance: Reduced prices of AY and SMG
• Balance: Increased price of Shotgun
• Balance: Reduced price of the PS-Radar Kit
• Balance: Adjusted weapon recoil by any SMG and Assault Rifle type weapons.
• Balance: Reduced Kill radius of any Explosive Weapons
• Balance: Adjusted splash radius of any Explosive Weapons
• Balance: Reduced rate of fire of the Grenade Launcher
• Balance: Adjusted C4 vehicle damage
• Balance: Increased LAW rocket Speed
• Balance: Increased AAA Rocket speed
• Balance: Increased AAA Rocket turn speed
• Balance: Adjusted AAA Gun damage
• Balance: Reduced splash damage of VTOL rockets against infantry
• Balance: Increased damage of Helicopter rockets
• Balance: Increased SOCOM damage
• Balance: Increased AY69 damage
• Balance: Adjusted Stand to Prone modifier for weapons
• Balance: Adjusted Stand to crouch modifier for weapons

Full Changelist