PC Game News

Ross Scott, creator of the hilarious "Freeman's Mind" machinima series based on the original Half-Life game, has announced that he is quitting Machinima.com due to difficult deadlines but will still continue creating episodes.

"The reason for me leaving is pretty simple. I was getting less done on the stuff I wanted to work on, and I found it much more stressful than working independently. I was working 7 days a week for months, (about 70-80 hours a week in October, 50-60 hours a week in November) and I was either just barely making deadlines, or falling behind on all fronts. Also it led to me having basically no free time, and I had to neglect everything else; exercise, basic household maintenance, recreation, time to research new technology for future episodes, etc. What's worse is that I felt like some of the projects might be at risk."

The Games Company today announced the release of "Sacraboar" worldwide, a real-time strategy game with role-playing elements by Makivision. The game can be purchased on digital distribution portals such as Impulse, Steam, and GamersGate.

"The retail version impresses with a wide range of exclusive bonus content such as brand new missions and the great game soundtrack.

With all your tactical abilities and a huge fantasy army in Sacraboar you hunt for trophies in the ground-breaking “Capture-the-Pig” mode and steal the valuable objects from your rival’s camp. Thanks to an intuitive resource management system you don’t waste any time with tedious construction phases or complicated base setup. Instead you can directly round up your troops and bring together a powerful force enabling you to overcome your opponent as early on in the game as possible. The integration of role playing elements also allows specific updates of your units with special abilities like mighty spells.

The all in all over 90 exciting missions and enthralling league- and cup-competitions in the multiplayer mode build the framework for that rapid as well as addictive strategy game which is planned to be released in the first quarter of 2010."

Tragnarion Studios have announced that their co-op third-person shooter game "The Scourge Project" will be released via Steam in December.

"The Scourge Project will use Epic´s Unreal® Engine™ for their new multiplatform shooter featuring a unique focus on co-operative narrative and gameplay. The Scourge Project will be a story-driven 3rd person shooter game built from the ground up for co-op, where up to 4 players each experience a personal story whilst playing together as a squad. The Scourge Project will be distributed digitally for PC via Steam in December 2009 and for Xbox Live in March 2010.

The Scourge Project will come on a 2 episode bundle with more than 5 hours of gameplay spanning 4 complete levels, up to 4 Player Co-op Campaign Mode, 4 Unique Playable Characters to choose from, an arsenal of weapons and special abilities, thrilling boss-fights and environmental puzzles. The Scourge Project will have multiplayer modes such as Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture The Flag and Frontiers, all of which allow up to 16 Players.

Omar Salleh, Game Director for “The Scourge Project” at Tragnarion Studios said: “We’re really excited about the upcoming release of The Scourge Project. The whole team has put a huge amount of love and effort into creating something special and we’re all eager to see action gamers the world over having a blast with the gameplay and soaking up the breathtaking visuals and soundscapes. Our unique blend of co-op action plus co-op storytelling, in which each playable character has a distinct perspective on the central plot, brings something new to the table and we’re definitely looking forward to expanding on this and much more in the rest of the Scourge Saga.”

For more information, please visit www.thescourgeproject.com."

The list of new PC game releases, DVD and Blu-Ray releases, and movies opening the week of November 30th, 2009.

PC Games:

• Avatar: The Game
• Elven Legacy: Magic
• Men of War Gold
• Rouge Warrior

Movies Opening This Week:

• Armored
• Brothers
• Everybody's Fine
• Serious Moonlight (limited LA/NY)
• The Last Station (limited LA/NY)
• Transylmania
• Up in the Air (limited)

DVD and Blu-Ray Releases

• A Christmas Tale
• Ben 10 Alien Swarm
• Best Laid Plans
• Better Off Ted: Season One
• Death Warrior
• End Game
• Flame & Citron
• Harry Potter: Wizarding World Game
• Into the Storm
• Le Chevalier d'Eon: The Complete Series
• Legend of Zorro & Mask of Zorro Double Feature
• Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels [Blu-Ray]
• Mental: The Complete First Season
• Mikey Mouse Clubhouse: Choo-Choo Express
• Mystery Science Theater 3000: XVI Limited Ed.
• Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian [Blu-Ray]
• Paper Heart
• Saturday Night Live: The Complete Fifth Season
• Secondhand Lions [Blu-Ray]
• Sid the Science Kid: Inside and Out
• Silent Night, Deadly Night III, IV, & V Collection
• Snatch [Blu-Ray]
• Staggered
• Terminator Salvation
• Terminator Salvation [Blu-Ray]
• The Brooklyn Heist
• The Complete Love Comes Softly Collection
• The Donna Reed Show: Season Three
• The Evil Dead
• The Girl in the Park
• The Mask of Zorro [Blu-Ray]
• The Rolling Stones: Gimme Shelter [Criterion Collection Blu-Ray]
• White Out

Turbine today announced the launch of "The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood," a new expansion in the MMORPG series.

"Siege of Mirkwood expands the online world of Middle-earth where players join forces to press further eastward into the dark, foreboding and treacherous forest of Mirkwood and take part in the epic conclusion to Volume II of The Lord of the Rings Online. Siege of Mirkwood is now available as a digital download with an increased level cap, the new region of Mirkwood including the legendary evil fortress of Dol Guldur, major enhancements to combat and Legendary Items and the introduction of Skirmishes, randomized, repeatable instances where players will train customizable soldiers and take them into battle as part of the War of the Ring.
 
“Today we unveil LOTRO’s second major expansion and let players enter the legendary forest of Mirkwood and experience the climax and conclusion to Volume II of our epic story,” said Jeffrey Steefel, Executive Producer of The Lord of the Rings Online. “The response from our players and the press has been nothing short of outstanding and serve as a real validation of LOTRO’s position as one of the world’s premium online games.”
 
NEW FEATURES:

• The Epic Conclusion to Volume II: Mines of Moria™ – Under the command of Celeborn and Galadriel, players will fight alongside the Elves of Lórien through vast armies of Orcs in a battle that will take them to Dol Guldur, the fortress of the Ringwraiths. This update includes Book 9 and the Epilogue to the sweeping epic tale that began with the award-winning Mines of Moria™ expansion.
• Increased Level Cap — Players will be able to advance their characters up to level 65, gaining access to new traits, virtues, skills and class quests.
• Join Epic Battles on Demand! – Jump into the heat of battle with the new Skirmishes feature. Skirmishes offer endless action in repeatable, randomized instances where players can create and lead customizable soldiers into battle, training them to greater skill as they earn victories against the forces of shadow. Answer the call of war wherever violence erupts with the new “Skirmish Join” function that lets players and their fellowships band together to fight in various locations throughout Middle-earth.
• Take up Arms! – Infiltrate the dark jails, deadly arenas and savage stables of Dol Guldur, the fortress of the Ringwraiths, and strike a blow against Sauron’s forces in new 3 and 6-player instances. Call upon your fellows to adventure into the most deadly 12-player raid yet and face the ultimate challenge – the Nazgûl Lord!
• Major Gameplay Enhancements – Turbine continues to improve the award-winning experience of LOTRO with major improvements to the combat and Legendary Items systems. Players will experience improved responsiveness when in the heat of battle. Players will also be able to create and craft their own customized Second and Third Age Legendary Items from raw materials and grow their weapons’ power to level 60. Achieve new Legacies, new titles, and a fourth Runic slot that will make Legendary Items even more unique and powerful.

The Lord of the Rings Online is an award-winning MMORPG that delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places and monsters from the most beloved fantasy adventure of all time. From the picturesque surroundings of the Shire to Moria, the great underground realm to the menace of Mirkwood, players will experience the world of Middle-earth as never before. For more information, visit www.lotro.com/mirkwood."

Aspyr Media and 1C Company have announced that "Men of War Gold" has been shipped to North American retail stores.

"Men of War Gold Edition includes both the critically acclaimed RTS Men of War and the exciting stand-alone expansion Men of War: Red Tide. Men of War: Red Tide introduces a new story driven campaign based on the writings of Soviet scribe Alexander Zorich and dozens of new or upgraded units and weapons.

Men of War: Red Tide is a stunning mixture of RTS and a third-person action that introduces a new fighting force known for its brutal efficiency during the height of World War II. Played out across more than 20 missions, Men of War: Red Tide has players take command of the feared "Black Coats", the nickname given to Soviet Marines, an elite combat group specializing in engagements near the shoreline. The player has direct control of new game units including the Black Coats, new tanks, self-propelled guns, armored trains, landing craft, artillery and new enemy emplaced weapons to capture and use. New air support options include new fighters, bombers, hydroplanes, cruisers, destroyers and gun boats which provide naval fire support.

Fighting during the Black Sea Campaigns of WWII, history buffs and WWII aficionados will recognize theaters of battle such as Odessa, Sevastopol, Theodosia, Eltingen, Nikolaev and Constanta.

Men of War Gold Edition is rated M for Mature by the ESRB."

Headup Games and Radon Labs today announced a publishing agreement that will bring "Future Wars," a round (turn?) -based strategy game, to stores worldwide.

"The agreement includes the development and the release of the round based strategy-title „Future Wars“. The title appeals in contrast to genre references of former days due to modern 3D graphics and extensive modding opportunities to a larger and creative target group. Furthermore Headup Games and Radon Labs emphasize to bring the game back to the genres’ roots by creating definite rules, a rich story and classic gameplay elements. Players of the older generation, fans of customizing and also newbies of the genre will feel themselves homelike in Future Wars.

Publisher Headup Games, who holds the worldwide publishing and distribution rights and the developing studio Radon Labs, which won the German Computer Game Award for their role playing game-hit "The Dark Eye: Drakensang" last year plan to release “Future Wars” within their joint venture agreement in spring 2010.

More details to follow soon…"

Kalypso Media today announced "Grand Ages: Rome – Reign of Augustus," an upcoming expansion in the strategy series by Haemimont Games.

"Reign of Augustus will include a brand new campaign comprising of 12 missions, new maps and a wealth of enhanced gameplay features.

Features:

• All new campaign with 12 Missions
• 12 new maps
• 6 new multiplayer maps
• 4 new buildings: Senate, Tax Office, Odeum, Hospital
• 20 new estate bonuses
• Roads – connect your city to the major roman roads to gain or generate additional resources and enable units travel faster
• Authority – certain buildings generate Authority that can be used to benefit the player or hinder opponents
• New talents for each family (21 new talents in total)
• Remove tool for roads, trees, platforms and decorations
• New decorations – statues and gardens
• God Mode – free build map with few disasters and unlimited resources
• New campaign intro video
• Additional multiplayer features including pre-built towns & pre-built town walls
• 3 new patrons (Agrippa, Nero, Drusus)

Reign of Augustus will only be available via online and will not be published at retail."

GoGamer is having a Black Friday sale and the following is a list of their PC related discounts.Check the 48 Hour Madness page for all sales.

• AGE OF CONAN: COLLECTOR’S EDITION – $5.90
• AGE OF CONAN: HYBORIAN ADVENTURES – $2.90
• AGE OF EMPIRES III: COMPLETE COLLECTION – $29.99
• AGE OF MYTHOLOGY: GOLD EDITION – 80% savings – $5.90
• BASEBALL MOGUL 2003 – 99% SAVINGS – $0.01
• BATTLESTATIONS: MIDWAY – 95% savings – $1.90
• BLAZING ANGELS 2: SECRET MISSIONS – 92% off – $2.90
• BROTHERS IN ARMS: HELL’S HIGHWAY – 85% off – $2.90
• CALL OF DUTY 4: GAME OF THE YEAR – $19.90
• CALL OF JUAREZ – 94% savings – $2.90
• CHAMPIONS ONLINE – 44% savings – $27.90
• CIVILIZATION 4: COMPLETE – 75% savings – $9.90
• CLIVE BARKER’S JERICHO – 95% savings – $1.90
• CSI 3: DIMENSIONS OF MURDER – 90% off – $2.90
• CURSE: THE EYE OF ISIS – 88% savings – $1.00
• ELDER SCROLLS 4: OBLIVION – 84% savings – $7.90
• FINAL FANTASY XI: WINGS OF THE GODDESS – $4.90
• GRAND THEFT AUTO: CLASSICS COLLECTION – $2.90
• HALO 2 – 76% savings – $11.90
• HALO: COMBAT EVOLVED – 50% savings – $9.90
• LEFT 4 DEAD 2 – 30% savings – $34.90
• LEISURE SUIT LARRY: BOX OFFICE BUST – 75% off – $4.90
• MERCENARIES 2: WORLD IN FLAMES – 70% off – $2.90
• MY SIMS – 90% savings – $3.90
• NEED FOR SPEED: SHIFT – 30% savings – $34.90
• OBLIVION: SHIVERING ISLES EXPANSION – 87% off – $3.90
• OPERATION FLASHPOINT: DRAGON RISING – 38% off – $24.90
• RAINBOW SIX: LOCKDOWN – 86% savings – $4.90
• RED FACTION: GUERRILLA – 50% savings – $19.90
• RISE OF FLIGHT – 50% savings – $19.90 (One Day Sale!)
• RISE OF NATIONS: GOLD EDITION – 60% savings – $7.90
• RISE OF THE ARGONAUTS = 87% savings – $3.99
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. CLEAR SKY – 83% savings – $4.90
• SACRED 2: FALLEN ANGEL – 80% off – $9.90
• SAITEK CYBORG KEYBOARD – 38% savings – $49.90
• SIM CITY SOCIETIES – 93% savings – $2.90
• STAR WARS: CLONE WARS: REPUBLIC HEROES – $16.90
• TERMINATOR: SALVATION – 80% savings – $5.90
• THE SIMS 2: IKEA HOME STUFF – 85% off – $2.90
• THE SIMS 2: TEEN STYLE STUFF – 85% savings – $2.90
• THE SIMS: PET STORIES – 93% savings – $2.90
• TOM CLANCY’S END WAR – 90% savings – $4.90
• UNREAL TOURNAMENT III – 88% savings – $5.90
• WORLD OF WARCRAFT (Standard) – 75% off – $4.90 (Two Day Sale!- Friday and Saturday Only!)
• WORLD OF WARCRAFT BATTLECHEST – 50% savings – $19.90 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday Only!)
• WWII BATTLE TANKS: T-34 vs. TIGER – $12.90

Ubisoft today announced "Anno 1404 Venice," an upcoming add-on for "Anno 1404: Dawn of Discovery."

"Anno 1404 Venice will combine the signature gameplay mechanics of Anno 1404 and the richness of the Venetian culture. In addition, gamers will now be able to play Anno 1404 with their friends thanks to the new online multiplayer mode. The add-on is due to release next February 2010 in EMEA territories.

“With Anno 1404 Venice we are proud to bring a whole new dimension to gamers by letting them experience new multiplayer challenges online with their friends” said John Parkes, marketing director EMEA at Ubisoft, “we’re confident that this add-on will please fans of the series as well as newcomers to the franchise.”

Key Features of ANNO 1404 Venice :

The rich Anno 1404 environment gets complemented with a new Venetian setting offering new possibilities of interaction:

• Build two new Venetian ship types: the small and big tradesman cog
• Develop secret cabinets, infiltrate your enemies and sabotage their expansion
• Take control over enemy cities thanks to your influence in the cities’ council board

Play Anno 1404 online in a multiplayer mode:

• Choose to play versus or coop to defeat the AI by combining your techniques
• Up to 8 players

New challenges and quests:

• Up to 60 new items and 300 new quests with two new types: trading race and ship boarding
• Discover and exploit a new type of island, the Volcano island
• New scenarios to face new challenges with new achievements, medals and crests"

NeoCore announced the release of "King Arthur – the Role-playing Wargame," which is available via Steam.

"It has been undeniably one of the biggest achievements for the whole team so far, and King Arthur grew to be the game that we envisioned years ago. Our desire was to create an innovative wargame, and King Arthur is exactly what we had outlined in the original concept: a creative mixture of the elements from the best strategy games and RPGs, with beautiful graphics and a gripping story, based on the rich mythology of the legendary King Arthur, with a truly unique, but still faithful approach to its chosen background.

We sincerely hope that King Arthur is going to please all the fans who are ready to begin the journey into the mythic Britannia."

       
       

Plenty of additional screenshots are available in the game’s gallery.

Square Enix today announced that "Just Cause 2" is scheduled to be released on March 23rd, 2010 in North America and the 26th in Europe, the Middle East, and Australasia.

"Developed by Avalanche Studios and using the proprietary Avalanche 2.0 Engine, Just Cause 2™ features over 1000Km² (400miles²) of South East Asian island paradise in one of the richest, most realistic game worlds ever seen. Snow-capped mountains, sun-kissed beaches, dense jungle and arid deserts create a stunning backdrop for a unique and compelling take on open-world gameplay.

“Just Cause 2 offers the freedom to explore and tackle the world in any way you choose”, said Lee Singleton, General Manager of Square Enix London Studios. “The grapple and the parachute mechanic will change the way you play open-world games, allowing players to be in the air in seconds, tackling missions from above and using the aerial advantage. If you prefer to stay on solid ground, the choices offered by the grapple are limited only by your imagination.”

As Rico Rodriguez, the Agency’s most powerful weapon, players must take on the island of Panau and its military regime in order to track down Rico’s former boss and mentor, Tom Sheldon, who has gone rogue with millions in Agency cash and intel. Using a unique grapple and parachute combination, there is no vertical limit as the air becomes your playground: grapple a passing plane in flight, hijack helicopters, BASE jump from the tallest buildings or mountains and leave a trail of chaos and destruction in your wake. Just Cause 2 offers players the freedom to attack missions any way they choose and, with over 100 vehicles and countless upgrades and collectibles, the choices for relentless adrenaline-fuelled action are limitless.

Just Cause 2 will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Games for Windows, and will be released under the EIDOS brand portfolio. More information is available on the official website at www.justcause.com."

The list of new PC game releases, DVD and Blu-Ray releases, and movies opening the week of November 23rd. 2009.

PC Games:

• King Arthur – the Role-playing Wargame

Movies Opening This Week:

• Me and Orson Wells (limited LA/NY)
• Ninja Assassin
• Old Dogs
• The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (limited LA/NY)
• The Road

DVD and Blu-Ray Releases:

• Alfred Hitcock Presents: Season Four
• Angels & Demons: 70th Anniversary Collector’s Ed. [Blu-Ray]
• Angle Heart [Blu-Ray]
• Beverly Hills 90210: Season Eight
• Blood: The Last Vampire [Blu-Ray]
• Cujo – 25th Anniversary Ed. [Blu-Ray]
• Four Christmases [Blu-Ray]
• Frailty [Blu-Ray]
• Funny People
• Funny People Collectors Ed. [Blu-Ray]
• Ghost in the Shell 2.0 [Blu-Ray]
• Gormorrah [Criterion Collection Blu-Ray]
• Hogan’s Heroes: The Complete Series – Commandants Kollection
• Imagine That
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent – Season Four
• Life on Mars: Series 2
• Melrose Place: Season Five, Vol. 2
• Santa Buddies [Blu-Ray]
• Shorts [Blu-Ray]
• Superman: The Complete Animated Series
• The Best of Spike Jones
• The Golden Age of Television [Criterion Collection]
• The Jerry Lewis Show Collection
• The Maiden Heist
• The Monster Squad – 20th Anniversary Ed. [Blu-Ray]
• The Rebirth
• The Sopranos: The Complete First Season [Blu-Ray]
• The Tudors: Season 3 [Blu-Ray]
• The Way of the Gun [Blu-Ray]
• Three Monkeys
• Toi & Moi

Paradox Interactive today announced "East India Company: Battle of Trafalgar," an upcoming stand-alone add-on that’s scheduled to be released on December 8th via digital distribution portals.

"A complement to the original East India Company, East India Company: Battle of Trafalgar recreates the legendary naval battle fought between the British Royal navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish navies during the height of the Napoleonic wars in late 1805. Featuring historically accurate ships from all three fleets along with the key naval personnel of the battle, East India Company: Battle of Trafalgar is a simulation of what in reality was the most decisive British naval victory of the war. Led by Admiral Lord Nelson aboard the HMS Victory, the outnumbered British fleet sank 22 enemy vessels off of the South West coast of Spain without a single ship of their own being lost.

East India Company: Battle of Trafalgar Features:

• A reenactment of the Battle of Trafalgar from both the British and Franco-Spanish perspective
• Historically accurate ships from all three navies
• Five real-life naval commanders from the era, including Admiral Lord Nelson, French Admiral Pierre Villeneuve and Spanish Admiral Federico Gravina
• Take control of naval battle groups comprised of the greatest warships of the Napoleonic era
• Real-world naval strategy of the era accurately recreated in the battle AI

East India Company: Battle of Trafalgar requires the original game East India Company and will be exclusively available for digital download at all major digital download portals for a suggested retail price of $9.99 and €9.99."

cdv Software Entertainment and dtp Entertainment have announced that "Divinity II: Ego Draconis" has gone gold and is scheduled to be released on January 5th.

"The game allows players to take on the role of a young Dragon Slayer, a hero with the ability to transform into a dragon, and take to the skies to fight against an onslaught of deadly creatures while protecting the citizenry of the game’s fantasy world. Divinity II – Ego Draconis will arrive in North American retail on January 5, 2010, and will be available for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC.

The sequel to the critically acclaimed action-RPG Divine Divinity, Divinity II – Ego Draconis transports players back to the wide-open, war-torn world of Rivellon where they’ll learn to read minds, plunder dungeons and ultimately learn to morph into a playable dragon at will. Developed by Larian Studios, Divinity II boasts a robust adventure with more than 60 hours of gameplay, teeming with massive dungeons and outdoor spaces to explore, deep on-the-ground and aerial combat and an intrigue to unravel that could unveil hidden truths and revive forgotten evils that will change the face of Rivellon forever."