PC Game News

Nexon America today announced that an open beta for "Vindictus", the upcoming MMORPG built on Valve's Source engine, will launch on October 13.

"Vindictus is a physics-based action online role-playing game that combines stunning visuals with high-speed combat and uses a modified Source Engine™. Open Beta will add new content for players to enjoy, including a new horror-filled dungeon with new monster mobs and bosses, deeper customization options, a fishing feature, item enhancements and guild tools. The game’s level cap will also increase to level 38 to give players more access to the Vindictus’ brutal elegance.
 
Vindictus is currently in the Early Access to Open Beta phase, and all players participating in the current beta will be able to bring their characters, rank, loot and other earned elements into Open Beta, all the way through the game’s live launch later this year.

In preparation for the Open Beta, service for the Early Access to Open Beta will end at 10:00pm PST on Oct. 5. To learn more about Vindictus and prepare for the Open Beta, visit: www.vindictus.com."

Valve today released a new trailer for "The Sacrifice", the prequel to "The Passing", adding new content to both the original "Left 4 Dead" and the sequel.

"Due for release on October 5, 2010, "The Sacrifice" is the prequel to "The Passing," and takes place from the L4D Survivors' perspective as they make their way South. In addition to advancing the story, "The Sacrifice" introduces a new style finale featuring "Sacrificial Gameplay" where players get to decide who will give their life so the others may live.

The Sacrifice DLC for L4D1 is a separate download than The Sacrifice for L4D2.

In The Sacrifice for Left 4 Dead 1 gamers receive the complete Sacrifice campaign with maps playable in Campaign, Versus, and Survival.

In The Sacrifice for Left 4 Dead 2 owners receive "The Sacrifice" campaign playable with the Left 4 Dead Survivors. In addition, those with Left 4 Dead 2 receive L4D's "No Mercy" campaign. Both campaigns are playable in Campaign, Versus, Survival, and Scavenge modes and both will feature the Left 4 Dead 2 Special Infected, items, and weapons.

"The Sacrifice" will be available for download on Xbox Live for 560 Microsoft Points and free to all PC gamers.

For more information, please visit www.l4d.com"

Valve today announced an update to "Team Fortress 2", which adds an in-game store called Mann-Conomy that is compatible with the Steam wallet – also released today.

"The first update in this ongoing initiative will involve 65 new items overall-including the introduction of five new Class Weapon Kits, 18 new hats, and an all-new way to get in an additional fight during an existing one: dueling pistols."

There is a FAQ page with plenty of additional information on the Team Fortress 2 site.

Paradox Interactive and Neocore Games today announced that "Lionheart: Kings' Crusade" has gone gold and is scheduled for worldwide release on October 8. Along with this announcement, a crusaders faction trailer was released.

"Assemble your armies and prepare for an invasion.  Developer Neocore Games today announced the development of the real-time strategy game, Lionheart: Kings’ Crusade, has completed.  Lionheart: Kings’ Crusade is created by the developers of King Arthur: The Role-PlayingWargame  and Crusaders: Thy Kingdom Come.

Lionheart: Kings’ Crusade invites players to rewrite history through controlling and upgrading leaders and their armies, guiding various historical factions through political events, collecting relics, and unlocking new content in a feature-rich campaign set to take on the strategy genre by force.

Scheduled for release on October 8th, Lionheart: Kings’ Crusade will be published worldwide by Paradox Interactive.  The PC title will also be available for digital download on all leading digital distribution platforms."

JoWood Entertainment today released a demo for "ArcaniA: Gothic 4", giving players a chance to try out the anticipated upcoming sequel by Spellbound Entertainment.

"The official demo comprises the first two hours of the game and shows the beginning tutorial level on Feshyr Island featuring selected quests.  As a shepherd, the new nameless hero is living on the Island in peace but dark clouds are coming over to Feshyr and now it's time for the hero to come to terms with his fate."

The demo is available to download from FileShack, GamersHell, GameUpdates (torrent), or Worthplaying.

Paradox today released a new trailer for "Sword of the Stars II", giving viewers a preview of the game's new engine.

"The game offers an evolved version of the original six races from Sword of the Stars and its expansions, Sword of the Stars II reveals the deep, dark secret of the Suul’ka. Boasting an all new graphics engine and incorporating new ship details that allow for new fleet strategies and tactics, Sword of the Stars 2 is poised to revive the 4X space genre and is scheduled for a 2011 release. "

2K Games today announced the release of 4 new DLC packs for "Mafia II", further extending the third-person action game by 2K Czech.

"The Mafia II Greaser, Vegas, Renegade, and War Hero Add-On packs, including new cars (with improved performance and speed) and clothing, are available at the PlayStation®Store for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC starting today for $2.99/240 MS Points each.

• Vegas Pack: Get a taste of old school Vegas in this new downloadable content pack from Mafia II. Bring a taste of Vegas to Empire Bay as you cruise through the town in 2 new cars with smooth handling and timeless lines. Vito shows his Vegas style in 2 new suits.
• War Hero Pack: The ‘40s wouldn’t be complete without a war hero. Vito plays the role well in the War Hero add-on pack. Drive two military style vehicles and notice the superior handling in all weather conditions. Vito looks sharp in two new military outfits including fatigues and a dress uniform.
• Renegade Pack: Show off your inner renegade in this new add-on pack. Start with two new cars, one with the slick styling and tight handling of a small sports coupe and the other with the revved up engine of a ‘50s hot rod. Outfit Vito in two new suits including leather and lettermen’s jackets to fit his renegade persona.
• Greaser Pack: The Mafia II Greaser downloadable pack is all about speed. These two new hot-rod speedsters will win you pink slips every time. Pair that with two new suits for Vito, one with leather jacket and heavy boots, the other a leather racing suit, and get ready to start your engines."

The list of new PC games, DVD and Blu-Ray releases, and movies opening the week of September 27, 2010.

PC Games:

• Dead Rising 2
• FIFA Soccer 11
• Final Fantaxy XIV
• Front Mission Evolved
• Laura Croft and the Guardian of Light

Movies Opening This Week:

• Barry Munday (limited LA/NY)
• Case 39
• Chain Letter (limited)
• Feakonomics (limited)
• Hatchet I
• Let Me In
• The Social Network

DVD and Blu-Ray

• Adventureland [Blu-Ray]
• Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Collection 5 Part 1
• Babies
• C.S.I.: The Tenth Season
• Coco Channel and Igor Stravinsky
• Dark Night of the Scarecrow
• Family Guy: Partial Terms of Endearment
• Frozen [Blu-Ray]
• Get Him to the Greek [Blu-Ray]
• Hero [Blu-Ray]
• Iron Man 2 [Blu-Ray]
• King Kong [Blu-Ray]
• Knock on Wood
• Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence [Criterion Collection Blu-Ray]
• My Favorite Spy
• Paranormal State: The Complete Season Four
• Party Down: Season Two
• Rich Man, Poor Man: The Complete Collection
• Scrubs: The Complete Ninth and Final Season
• South Park: A Little Box of Butters
• Suck [Blu-Ray]
• Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
• The Killer Inside Me [Blu-Ray]
• The Legendary Bing Crosby
• The Thin Red Line [Criterion Collection Blu-Ray]
• Top Gear: Complete Season 13
• Where Love Has Gone

Capcom today announced that "Dead Rising 2" has been shipped and is now available in North American retailers.

"Dead Rising 2 will introduce players to a new protagonist named Chuck Greene whose Motocross background and tragic past has brought him to America’s new gambling playground, Fortune City. He is there to compete in “Terror is Reality”, a gruesome game show that dares contestants to survive zombie-filled environments for big money prizes at the delight of TV audiences around the globe. Chuck’s motivation for taking part and risking life and limb is his daughter Katey, who since being bitten by a zombie, requires a daily dose of Zombrex to prevent her from turning into one of the living dead. During his time in Fortune City, a zombie outbreak occurs and Chuck is blamed for the incident.Over the next 72 hours, he must survive the onslaught of the undead and clear his name. Pitted against two fearsome threats – tens of thousands of zombies and the constant countdown of the clock – while potentially rescuing other survivors of the zombie apocalypse, Chuck must also unravel the greater conspiracy behind the outbreak and just as importantly, find the Zombrex necessary to stop Katey from joining the ever growing zombie horde.

Developed by Blue Castle Games in close collaboration with Capcom, Dead Rising 2 takes the acclaimed gameplay the series is known for and pushes it to a new level in zombie-destroying fun. Chuck is quite the handyman and he uses it to his adavantage as players are able to take everyday items and combine them with a roll of duct tape to build the ultimate combo weapons to annihilate the undead. A piece of wood and a lawnmower become a Portamower, the handheld mower that cuts zombies down to size in an instant; while a garden rake and car battery combine to create an electrified zombie prod. The more combo weapons a player uses, the more Prestige Points (PPs) they will gain along the way in order to level up Chuck.

Ravaging zombie masses is more fun with a friend and for the first time in the series Dead Rising 2 will feature online 2-player co-op play. During the campaign, players can call for a friend at any time by using the in-game tranciever. Once their friend has accepted, they will immediately be brought into the action to play side-by-side with them."

THQ today released a new trailer for "Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Retribution", showing off the Eldar units in the single-player campaign.

"PC gamers will be able to take command of the Eldar in a unique campaign that concludes some of the key events in the Dawn of War series.   Leading the fight in this new Eldar campaign is the Autarch, a lethal and efficient commander of the Eldar warhost."

Gala Networks Europe today announced that "Terra Militaris", a browser-based MMORTS, has entered closed beta and those who are interested in the test can sign up on the official site.

"A selection of lucky players will have 10 days of unrestricted game access to explore the game’s possibilities and test server capacity as they build vast empires and armies to lead their chosen ancient civilisation to world domination. If you haven’t been chosen yet, don’t worry, as you can still pre-register at https://terra-militaris.gpotato.eu and could gain access in the next few days.

The Closed Beta Test will not just provide the exclusive opportunity to experience the real-time strategy challenges in this first round of testing but during the beta users will have the chance to participate and win valuable prices in the ongoing beta test events.

Terra Militaris combines historical MMORTS gameplay with high-end Flash graphics and will be fully playable on both PC and Mac formats. Ready to set a new standard for browser games, Terra Militaris will bring a new gaming experience to European players without any downloads or a subscription fee. The game brings together several key elements from the RTS genre to produce a perfect hybrid of building, research, diplomacy and tactical combat, with a wide range of options to tailor gameplay focus according to the player’s wishes. From unit-level RTS combat to lofty political and economic overviews, Terra Militaris represents the true cutting edge in multiplayer strategy gaming design, on the most modern and accessible platform of all.

Terra Militaris will be available by the end of 2010 through the gPotato.eu games portal with no download or subscription fee required. To play the game, users will only have to login to the official website using their favourite PC or Mac web-browser, and jump into the game in seconds. More information about the game will soon be available on https://terra-militaris.gpotato.eu. "

gamingo today announced that the "Kind of Kings 3" beta has ended and the game has launched in North America and Europe.

"Thousands of players used the chance to participate actively in the development of King of Kings 3. For three months suggestions for improvement were collected and then implemented. Among other things the fighting style and balancing were adapted. The game's localization was also continually improved upon during closed beta testing. With the end of beta testing, players now have access to 15 new regions and characters can be leveled up to level 90. As a result, PvP combat has become even more dynamic.

Players especially enjoy the large number of features that give the game an incredible depth. The guild system stands out in particular because it allows small communities to band together to form a mighty kingdom with its very own guild town. Other highlights are the multi-tiered character classes, the variety of minigames, dozens of mounts and character housing.

Features at a glance

• Brilliantly-designed fantasy world full of variety
• Comprehensive PvE content with loads of quests and minigames
• Epic RvR warfare and intense PvP combat
• Multi-leveled guild system with guilds, legions, and kingdoms
• Unique housing and town building system
• Dozens of mounts that can also level up
• A total of 27 different character classes
   

More information about King of Kings 3 can be found in the game's official website."

EA today released "Escape to Barnacle Bay", a new DLC pack for "The Sims 3", which is available at the online store.

"An island nestled in the Simuyan Sea, Barnacle Bay is a vibrant vacation getaway with stunning beaches, campgrounds, parks, and a curiously modern downtown.  Redeemable for 1,650 SimPoints, the pack includes 18 all-new exclusive Pirate-themed objects and clothing, allowing Sims 3 gamers to take their Pirate love to a whole new level!"

Peter Molyneux's (Lionhead Studios) young son posted a video on Youtube posing a question to Valve about "Half-Life 3" that just about everyone would like an answer to.

There was a lot of internet rage out there when GOG.com suddenly shut down last weekend. However, in a press conference today it was revealed that the site needed to be shut down due to technical and business issues, and a new site, launching tomorrow, will bring GOG out of "beta." In addition, the company announced that it has signed publisher Hasbro.

"We know some of you might felt deceived by us playing jerks and the whole action and we sincerely apologize for this, as that was not our intention. Hopefully the new GOG.com and the upcoming releases from Hasbro will make it up for you. Yes, you read that well, we have Hasbro on board and our first release is Baldur's Gate: The Original Saga with Tales of the Sword Coast expansion for only $9.99, DRM-free and with lots of free goodies."

"After reviving and releasing more than 230 classic PC games and attracting hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers, the DRM-free platform leaves behind its “Beta” status and has officially gone live. GOG is commemorating the milestone with a new site, brand new features and the massive announcement of a deal with Hasbro to breathe new life into some of the most desired titles in PC gaming history, including BioWare’s role-playing opus, Baldur’s Gate: The Original Saga. The titles from Hasbro will be unveiled gradually in the coming weeks, and today's announcement is just a small taste of what’s to come.

Available now for $9.99, Baldur's Gate: The Original Saga (Role-Playing Game, 2000) is the first part of one of the most important franchises from the RPG masters at BioWare and features the core game, as well as the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion. Utilizing the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) ruleset, the game was deemed an instant classic upon release and praised by many as a revival of computer role-playing. Baldur's Gate, set in the Dungeons & Dragons setting of Forgotten Realms, gives players the best from the RPG genre and provides countless hours of great, classic gameplay.

Leaving beta means lots of changes to the site itself, as well. A sleek new design makes it even easier to browse through the huge catalogue, share one’s passion for classic games via popular social media, get to know more about the classic games available and recommend favorite titles to other gamers. Among other changes, the team has introduced GOGmixes, which are, in short, user-created lists of games around one theme.

“We've decided to celebrate our second anniversary in typical GOG fashion: big, loud and with style. Announcing the agreement with Hasbro and launching the new site was a perfect way to finally leave the beta stage,” said Guillaume Rambourg, Managing Director at GOG.com. “We're very excited to see users’ reactions to the new features and we're exceptionally excited to see how they like the Hasbro deal and the incredible games we're releasing in the coming weeks. It's worth waiting for every new release."

The new GOG.com with Baldur's Gate in store, will launch on Thursday, September 23 at 8 a.m. EDT (2 p.m. CET)"