PC Game News

The Summoner Hero class for Dungeon Defenders was released today, which can summon a personal army to protect the Eternia Crystals.

“The Summoner changes the pace of battle by introducing a brand new way to play: unit management. Instead of placing defenses, the Summoner can call upon his own personal army to protect the Eternia Crystals. Using Overlord Mode, you can control these minions from a top-down ‘RTS-style’ perspective. Did we mention he can have two pets?
 
The DLC is $3.99 on Steam, and can be found here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/208544“

Electronic Arts today announced the launch of Command & Conquer Tiberium Alliances, a free-to-play browser-based MMO game developed by Phenomic.

“In the game, players are pit against each other and against AI-controlled factions in an intense and strategic battle for territory domination. Gamers spend resources to build bases and strengthen armies before deploying their forces against the enemy, constantly adapting to a dynamic theater of war, where alliances shift and power over territories change constantly. With integrated in-game status and news feeds, players are updated on their allies and enemies, forcing them to strategize, adapt, and react on the spot.

As the first free-to-play, cross-platform MMO strategy game, Command & Conquer Tiberium Alliances is the only game to offer true, anytime, anywhere gameplay. In the coming months, the game will feature cloud-saved game data to make it accessible across web browsers and mobile devices. Players can play from their desktop at home, or on the go from their smartphone or tablet.

Command & Conquer Tiberium Alliances is now available and fully localized in 11 languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian, and Turkish. Gamers around the world can get in on the action and fight for territory by visiting www.tiberiumalliances.com.”

Rockstar Games today announced the release of the official soundtrack for Max Payne 3 on iTunes.

“The original soundtrack for Max Payne 3 is composed by HEALTH, the L.A. noise band whose non-symmetrical sounds have garnered critical acclaim from the music press and fans around the world. Mixing their signature percussive undertones and synth effects, HEALTH has created a dark and driving soundscape that perfectly reflect Max’s blurred and frayed mental state. HEALTH discard conventional balanced compositions and inject their signature melancholy noise pop into a score that helps propel Max as he transitions between his dark present and tragic past, giving each their own distinctive feel, while staying true to the heavy atmosphere of the Max Payne series.

The Official Soundtrack also includes Emicida’s “9 Circulos” as a special bonus track – a powerful and socially conscious original song created by the acclaimed Brazilian MC especially for Max Payne 3.”

Fatshark today announced that Krater, the quad based RPG, has moved into beta testing. The game is scheduled to be released on June 12th via Steam.

“KRATER is a lush post-apocalyptic top down RPG and the base pillars are crafting, exploration and consequence. Consequence brings not only the ability for the characters to level up and improve themselves, but also permanent injuries and death. The grim reaper never been so grim!

“The Beta testing of KRATER begins today, and it’s exciting times with the release only weeks away” says Martin Wahlund, CEO and Executive Producer, Fatshark. “We will now allow people to explore a larger part of the KRATER and with the team management system in place, people can start to build a squad and switch in and out characters for different encounters, if you want to play the game all up to the release on June 12, 2012, you should visit the KRATER web shop.”

If you want to get your KRATER on, and save a few “whatever currency you have” while you’re at it, visit https://store.fatshark.se and pick up the game today and get instant access to the alpha build!”

Sega today announced the release of the first ever modding tool for Shogun 2: Total War, allowing modders to create custom maps.

“TEd (the editor) is a powerful tool that enables users to alter terrain type and height, and comprises libraries boasting hundreds of unique battlefield props, such as trees, buildings, railway lines and coastal batteries. Users can construct vast and intricate castles from their component pieces, sculpt beautiful rolling landscapes, and model their own unique townscapes or vivid coastal scenes for naval battles.

When a map is built, it can then be used in any custom VS AI or multiplayer battle, at which point it will be automatically shared with the player’s opponent.

Experienced tacticians are now capable of building their own challenging battlefields around features such as choke-points, forests, rivers and custom deployment zones.

TEd is completely free, and accessible now to Shogun 2â„¢ and Fall of The Samuraiâ„¢ owners via the Tools section of their Steam library.”

Blizzard Entertainment today announced that in the first 24 hours after Diablo III’s release, more than 3.5 million copies were sold. That number doesn’t include the 1.2 million who received the game after signing up for the World of Warcraft Annual Pass promotion.

“Altogether, more than 4.7 million gamers around the world were poised to storm Sanctuary on day 1 of Diablo III’ s release – representing the biggest PC-game launch in history.

As of the first week of the game’s availability, that number had already grown to more than 6.3 million. The above figures also do not include players in Korean Internet game rooms, where Diablo III has become the top-played game, achieving a record share of more than 39% as of May 22 according to Game Metrics.”

City Interactive today announced the launch of the closed beta phase for World of Mercenaries, the upcoming MMOFPS.

“Today, Tuesday, May 22nd 2012, anybody with a beta key can download World of Mercenaries from their Steam account and play in the beta for free.

“World of Mercenaries” is a skill-based and teamwork-focused first-person-shooter developed with Unreal Engine 3, offering  fast-paced game play and a high degree of freedom of movement, among many other features that will be shown in greater detail leading up to the game’s launch.

Play your own way: get into fierce battles and mow down your enemies, back up your team members by blasting from afar; navigate skillfully and master the map; plan your own strategy and have your game evolve along with your style and each map’s unique terrain!

For more information about the game, as well as beta key registration, visit www.worldofmercenaries.com“

Tripwire Interactive today announced a Game of the Year Edition free content pack for owners of Red Orchestra 2. In addition, to give everyone the chance to try out the new features, a Steam free weekend will begin on Thursday at 10AM PST.

“The content pack additions include:

• “Action” mode – Featuring a crosshair, easier aiming and toned down recoil, reduced damage and open access to a wide range of weaponry Action mode is the perfect first step for players into the world of Red Orchestra.
• “Classic” mode blends the gameplay innovations of the new game with the tactical and edgy gameplay of the original giving the fans of the first game exactly what they want.  
• Mamayev Kurgan – complete new map, featuring both close-quarters battles in trenches and bunkers, as well as longer ranged combat across the famous hill in Stalingrad
• Refined and improved gameplay across the board, vehicle improvements, and way better performance and polish. We listened to the community and based on their feedback refined and tweaked almost every major feature in the game!

To remind everyone: there is a free weekend coming 24 May! You can grab the game from Steam starting at 10 AM Pacific Time this Thursday, so don’t forget and tell your friends. The free weekend ends Sunday 27 May so don’t miss your chance to try the game for free!

And finally, we have a new developer video available showing footage of the new map and features as well as a series of interviews with the developers, talking about the initial release of the game, community interface and all the updates and new content.”

Piranha Games and Infinite Game Publishing today announced that the first closed beta for MechWarrior Online begins this week. Interested gamers can still register for a chance to obtain access on the game’s official site. In addition, details for Operation Inception were released, which is a set of premium accounts with additional features and bonus items.

“OPERATION INCEPTION will offer die-hard fans of this beloved franchise valuable benefits including: in-game currency, a custom BattleMechâ„¢ (“ELITE” level only), up to a two-month free premium account, a permanent “Founder’s Tag” and more. OPERATION INCEPTION” gives fans a limited one-time chance to secure exclusive MechWarrior Online game content via two ranks:

$60 ELITE Founder’s Package Includes:

• Exclusive custom “Founder’s BattleMech.” This Mech includes a lifetime, per-match C-Bill booster.
• $80 value of in-game currency* for in-game item purchases.
• Two-month premium account to MechWarrior Online at launch: Earn XP & C-Bills faster.
• Founder’s Tag – sets your status apart from the crowd & get noticed in-game and on the forums.
• Early access to the game along with Founder’s assets availability starts July 17th.

$30 VETERAN Founder’s Package Includes:

• $40 value of in-game currency* for in-game item purchases.
• One-month premium account to MechWarrior Online at launch: Earn XP & C-Bills faster.
• Founder’s Tag – sets your status apart from the crowd & get noticed in-game and on the forums.
• Early access to the game along with Founder’s assets availability starts July 17th.

OPERATION INCEPTION assets and early game access will be available for ELITE or VETERAN package players starting July 17th.

Reserve your pilot name at www.mwomercs.com.”

The list of new PC game releases, Blu-ray releases, and movies opening the week of May 21st, 2012.

PC games:

• Alan Wake’s American Nightmare
• Iron Front- Liberation 1944
• Saint’s Row: The Third Penthouse Pack DLC

Movies opening this week:

• Chernobyl Diaries
• Men in Black III
• Moonrise Kingdom
• OC87: THe Obsessive Compulsive, Major Depression, Bipolar, Asperger’s Movie (limited NYC)
• Oslo, August 31st (limited)
• The Intouchables (limited)

Blu-ray releases:

• A Bullet for the General
• American Warships
• Best of Travel: Escape to French Polynesia
• Bettie Page: Dark Angel
• Beyond
• Castle in the Sky
• Certified Copy
• First Beautiful Thing
• Lethal Weapon: The Complete Collection
• National Parks Project
• Perfect Sense
• POV: Racing Dreams – Coming of Age in a Fast World
• Red Tails
• Sherlock: Season Two
• The Secret World of Arrietty
• The Woman in Black
• This Means War
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Alpha
• Whisper of the Heart
• WWE: The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions

Paradox Interactive today released a new video interview with Ylva Sundstrom, Producer at Zeal Game Studios on Starvoid.

“In the video interview featuring pre-alpha footage, Ylva Sundstrom, Producer at developer Zeal Game Studios, describes how Starvoid with its easy to pick-up-and-play structure, has both Space and Western inspirations in its setting.

In addition to the interview, a 26-minute live play session of the pre-alpha build with the development team gives viewers a great taste of the drop-in-and-out gameplay.”

Positech Games today announced the release of Gratuitous Tank Battles, the “not-exactly-a-sequel” to Gratuitous Space Battles that includes some tower defense elements.

“Unlike any other tower defense game, Gratuitous Tank Battles gives the player the choice of playing defender OR attacker on every single map. It also incorporates customised unit design and a built-in map editor and map-sharing online ‘challenge’ system which results in an near-limitless amount of gameplay.

In a further unique twist, Gratuitous Tank Battles even supports saving out a recording of your attack, and playing against your own decisions in the defense role. Every unit in the game is designed from base components, meaning you will never get entirely used to the units the enemy will throw at you. You have the option to play GTB as a normal tower defense game, with scripted attacking enemies, or you can even select ‘adaptive’ AI which places attacking (or defending) units in reaction to the players decisions. If you allow it, the AI can even re-use units that you designed to attack you with… This is like no other tower defense game you have played.

Gratuitous Tank Battles is an alternate-history game, set sometime between now and 2214, in a two-hundred year continuous world war one, Patriotic British and German troops continue to wage war across Europe, even though the technology has moved from bolt action rifles through modern day tanks and powerful laser weapons and shields. The armies still make use of guns and tanks, but they are fighting alongside newer, more deadly walking ‘mechs’.”

For more information visit: https://www.gratuitoustankbattles.com

Telltale Games today announced that The Walking Dead has sold over one million episodes across all platforms.

“The Walking Dead is Telltale’s fastest-selling game series to date, with the first episode of five, titled ‘A New Day’ topping the sales charts as the #1 best-selling title on Xbox LIVE Arcade for two weeks straight, also securing a spot at the top of the sales charts in its launch week on the Steam digital distribution service as well as on PlayStation®Network. These sales milestones do not yet include figures for the iOS version of  The Walking Dead, which Telltale is planning to launch later this summer.  The upcoming second episode of the season,  ‘Starved for Help’, is expected to launch across PC, Mac, and consoles this June.

For more information on the game, visit the official website.”

A new development trailer for Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion has been released, giving viewers more of a look at the upcoming expansion by Ironclad Games. In addition, the third beta is live, which adds the Vasari faction.

“The exciting next chapter in the awesome Sins of a Solar Empire universe has arrived. A full-fledged expansion to the original, Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion draws you even deeper into the galactic struggle for supremacy with appealing new factions, terrifyingly cool new ships of all sizes, enhanced lighting and particle effects for increased visual pleasure and all-new victory conditions.”

The list of new PC game releases, Blu-Ray releases, and movies opening the week of May 14th, 2012.

PC games:

• Anna
• Diablo III
• Game of Thrones
• Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City
• Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter – Legend of the Beast DLC
• Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2

Movies opening this week:

• Battleship
• Elena (limited NYC)
• Hysteria
• Lovely Molly (limited)
• Mansome (limited)
• Polisse (limited)
• The Dictator
• Virginia (limited)
• What to Expect When You’re Expecting

Blu-Ray releases:

• 1900
• Albert Nobbs
• Before and After
• Being John Malkovich (Criterion Collection)
• Born Yesterday
• Bringing Down the House: 10th Anniversary Ed.
• Cat Planet Cuties
• Chronicle
• D.O.A.
• Duets
• Emperor & The White Snake
• Father of the Bride: 20th Anniversary Ed.
• Gone Fishin’
• Hell on Wheels
• History fo the World in Two Hours
• Holy Man
• Ken Burns: The War
• Kill Bill 1 & 2 Double Feature
• Leon the Pig Farmer
• Mr. Wrong
• National Parks Exploration Series – The Grand Canyon: A Wonder of the Natural World
• National Parks Exploration Series – Yosemite: The High Sierras
• New York Stories
• One for the Money
• Princess Diaries: Two Movie Collection
• Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Celebration
• Rampart
• Resistance
• Seven Wonders of the Buddhist World
• Smithsonian Channel: Aerial America – Pacific Rim Collection
• Spaghetti Western Double Feature: Grand Duel & Keoma
• Terminal Velocity
• The Grey
• The Odessa File
• The Order
• The Universe: The Complete Season Six
• The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake
• Top Gear Great Adventures 5
• Walking Tall: The Trilogy
• White Squall
• WWII in HD Collector’s Ed.