PC Game News

Paradox Interactive today announced a forth expansion for "Europa Universalis III" titled "Divine Wind", which will be released in December.

"The fourth expansion to the classic historical strategy epic, Europa Universalis III Divine Wind is set in the Far East and will enhance every aspect of the original game to create an even deeper and more rewarding experience. Requiring Europa Universalis III Complete as well as the Heir to the Throne expansion to play, Divine Wind introduces a new graphical style, a more detailed map, and a wealth of new oriental provinces to control.

Features:

• Play as one of four major daimyo’s in Japan vying for influence over the Emperor and control over the Shogunate
• Enhanced diplomacy with more options for alliances and peace negotiations
• Dozens of new culture-specific building types allowing greater control over the development of provinces
• More realistic development of trade
• Manage the internal factions within China to keep the Mandate of Heaven
• Over 50 Achievements for players to unlock
• Multiplayer for up to 32 players
• Requires Europa Universalis III Complete and the expansion Heir to the Throne in order to play

For more information, please visit www.paradoxplaza.com or follow the game on www.twitter.com/E_Universalis and join the facebook community www.facebook.com/EuropaUniversalis"

Frictional Games announced that "Amnesia: The Dark Descent", a new horror adventure title, has been released.

"One of our goals with Amnesia: The Dark Descent has been “availability”, meaning that the game should be as available as possible for those that are interested in playing it. Because of this, the game is having a simultaneous launch on Windows, Mac and Linux. It also comes with four translations in addition to the original English version, is DRM free and available from most major online retailers in addition to our own online store. Finally, the game itself has also received our utmost attention in areas that affect the ease of use and interaction with the game world.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a first person horror game with a focus on immersion. It is a game where atmosphere and story comes first. We hope that the game will be a breeze of fresh air, in a genre otherwise populated by “one-man-army action hero” sagas. In Amnesia you are almost completely defenseless, something we believe not only makes the game a lot scarier, but also gives a vastly different experience.

Enter an interactive nightmare where reality is a fragile concept.

Do you have what it takes to survive?

Available: https://store.frictionalgames.com and most major online retailers."

NCSoft announced that "Aion: Assault on Balaurea", a free expansion in the series.

"To celebrate Aion: Assault on Balaurea’s release, NCsoft is offering exclusive pets for a limited-time through select retailers.

Assault on Balaurea introduces the game’s passionate fans to the next exciting chapter of Aion in which characters align together to launch a massive counter assault against the invading Balaur in their homeland. Along with the ability to explore new and updated zones and instances, the expansion provides players with an increased level cap, new weapons, items and skills as well as enhanced flight mechanics. Because exploring is never fun alone, Aion introduces completely unique, functional pets equipped with in-game benefits to keep characters company along the way.

“Assault on Balaurea is more than a free expansion consisting of new and exciting game experiences for our players, but a sign of our commitment to providing players hours of fun and excitement they can’t experience anywhere else,” said Jaeho Lee, CEO NCsoft West. “With this expansion, we continue to make Aion a truly global franchise by offering customized features catering to Western audience gameplay styles, something we’ve been looking forward to bringing our players since launch.”

Consumer excitement for Aion has never been stronger as the free expansion provides Western players with an unmatched regionalized gameplay experience featuring several in-game functions that utilize the breathtaking graphics, innovative gameplay and engrossing story Aion is known for. With a massive global audience that has wowed millions of gamers in the East and West, Assault on Balaurea extends the experience with several key features.

For more information about Aion and Assault on Balaurea, go to www.aiononline.com"

2K Games released another new DLC pack for "Mafia II", this one titled "Jimmy's Vendetta".

"Beneath the bustling metropolis of 1950s Empire Bay, exists a gritty, crime-ridden underworld – and when the forces who control this empire turn against the man who helped them build it, he comes for vengeance. Jimmy’s Vendetta lets players experience Empire Bay through the eyes of Jimmy, once the mob’s most effective ally, and now its greatest enemy. Fueled by rage, Jimmy takes on Italian and Irish mobsters in a slew of new unlockable city quests, including assassination and timed vehicle pursuits ending in dramatic shootouts. Players can perform executions with deadly head shots or charged explosives, and rack up points by performing precision-timed vehicular power slides, lofty jumps and feats of supercharged speed. Multipliers and combos add bonus points to overall scores that will be immediately posted to thenew online leaderboard system, providing extensive re-playability as players work to rise to the top of the ranks.

Through a compelling narrative,Mafia II transports gamers into the dark and unforgiving world of the Mafia. The fiction is embellished by a sophisticated, era-evoking atmosphere that meticulously replicatesthe clothing, cars, music and advertising of 1940s and 1950s America. Players will easily become immersed in the game's cinematic Hollywood-style experience with strong, believable characters in a living, breathing metropolis. By fusing action-packed gameplay with white-knuckle driving and an epic gangster story, Mafia II is the industry's most compelling Mafia title to-date.

Mafia II is developed by 2K Czech, the same creative team behind the award-winning, genre-defining Mafia®, which captivated millions of gamers around the world. Mafia II is rated M for Mature by the ESRB is currently available worldwide.

For more information on Mafia II, please visit www.mafia2game.com."

The list of new PC game releases, DVD and Blu-Ray releases, and movies opening the week of September 6, 2010.

PC Games:

• Aion: Assault on Balaurea
• Amnesia: The Dark Descent
• Dragon Age Witch Hunt DLC
• Mafia II: Jimmy's Vendetta DLC
• R.U.S.E.

Movies Opening This Week:

• Bran Nue Dae (limited)
• Heartbreaker (limited LA/NY)
• I'm Still Here (limited)
• Legendary (limited)
• Resident Evil: Afterlife
• The Romantics (limited)
• The Virginity Hit

DVD and Blu-Ray Releases:

• Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam
• Chuck: The Complete Third Season [Blu-Ray]
• Criminal Minds: Fifth Season
• Critters Collection
• Dirty Jobs Collection
• Final Destination Collection
• Forbidden Planet [Blu-Ray]
• Free Willy Collection
• In Cold Blood [Blu-Ray]
• Killers [Blu-Ray]
• MacGruber [Blu-Ray]
• Numb [Blu-Ray]
• Prime Suspect
• Sandra Bullock Comedy Collection
• Sex Drive
• Smallville: The Complete Ninth Season
• Solitary Man
• Stardust [Blu-Ray]
• Steve McQueen Collection
• Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season
• TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Gangsters – James Cagney
• TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Gangsters – Prohibition Era
• TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Hammer Horror
• That Evening Sun
• That Evening Sun [Blu-Ray]
• The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond [Blu-Ray]
• The Office: Season Six
• The Phantom [Blu-Ray]
• thirtysomething: The Complete Fourth and Final Season
• Tommy, The Movie [Blu-Ray]
• Wall Street

Ubisoft today announced that "R.U.S.E." has been shipped to North American retailers and is now available.

"Using military strategy and wartime tactics such as camouflaging troops, luring opponents with decoy units, sabotaging enemy plans and more, players must use their brainpower as the ultimate weapon in order to lead their armies to victory. Featuring fast-paced, addictive cooperative and adversarial skirmishes, players can test their strategic skills with up to eight players at a time.

Compatible with multi-touch technology as well as the PlayStation®Move motion controller, players of R.U.S.E. can enjoy an immersive gaming experience on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Windows PC with some of the latest and most cutting-edge technologies. In addition, R.U.S.E. features the IRISZOOM® Engine (which allows players to quickly and intuitively zoom in and out of the battlefield) as well as a simplified interface.

R.U.S.E. is available for an MSRP of $49.99 for Windows PC and $59.99 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and is rated “T” for TEEN. For additional information on R.U.S.E., please visit: www.rusegame.com."

Brian R. Wood, a lead designer at Relic, was killed in a car crash on Whidbey Island near Oak Harbor in Washington State on Friday night.

"A Washington State Patrol spokesperson said Saturday that the driver of the Blazer, Jordyn B. Weichert, 21, of Oak Harbor, was believed to be under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident.

According to the spokesperson, the crash was triggered when Weichert decided to take off her sweater or jacket as she was driving north along the two-lane highway.

The remains of the crashed Blazer at the scene.Weichert's front-seat passenger, Samantha R. Bowling, 22, of Oak Harbor, held the steering wheel while Weichert removed the article of clothing, the State Patrol said.

During the maneuver, Bowling lost control of the Blazer. It swerved across the centerline, then back into its own lane as Bowling over-corrected, then back across the centerline, crashing into the Subaru, the State Patrol said.

A State Patrol spokesperson said Weichert could be charged with vehicular homicide and vehicular assault and will be booked into the Island County jail when she is released from the hospital.

Bowling also faces a possible vehicular homicide charge when she is released from the hospital, the State Patrol said."

More details at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Square Enix released a new gameplay trailer for "Dungeon Siege III", giving viewers a first look at the gameplay in the upcoming sequel by Obsidian.

"We’ve got a new Dungeon Siege III trailer for you today.  And, most importantly, it features gameplay!  This is the first gameplay footage released for Dungeon Siege III, but certainly not the last!  Take a look.

DUNGEON SIEGE 3 seamlessly blends intuitive action gameplay, a robust RPG system featuring a large selection of abilities, an extensive multiplayer component and the depth of story Square Enix and Obsidian Entertainment are known for creating."

2K Games and Gearbox today announced that "Duke Nukem Forever" will be released next year.

"Duke Nukem, the interactive entertainment industry’s most irreverent and quoted character of all time, will bring his signature brand of babe-lovin’, cigar-smoking, beer-chugging and ass-kicking action as he once again saves the Earth and our babes from hordes of invading aliens. In other shocking news, Duke Nukem Forever will be playable right now for all attendees 17 and older of this year’s Penny Arcade Expo at the 2K Booth (booth #3417), giving the first hands-on experience with the game that was originally announced during the tail end of the Clinton Administration.

"All great things take time… a lot of time," laughs Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. "After a hiatus from the video game world, Duke Nukem is back and better than ever. The return of the King from the glory days of shooters will satisfy our patient, die-hard fans, as well as a new generation of bubble gum-chewing, flat top and shades-wearing bad-asses. Make no mistake about it – Duke Nukem Forever is a testament to the era of when shooters were bodacious and fun."

Put on your sunglasses and prepare to step into the boots of Duke Nukem, whose legend has reached epic proportions in the years since his last adventure. The alien hordes are back and only Duke can save the world, again. Pig cops, alien shrink rays and enormous alien bosses won’t stop our hero from accomplishing his one and only goal: to save the world, save the babes and to be a bad-ass while doing it. The King of All Shooters is back with over-the-top weapons, massive aliens and unprecedented levels of interactivity. This game puts pedal to the metal and tongue firmly in cheek, among other places. Shoot hoops, lift weights, read adult magazines, draw crude messages on whiteboards or ogle one of the many beautiful women that populate Duke’s life; that is if you can pull yourself away long enough from kicking ass and taking names. Duke Nukem was and will forever be immortalized in gaming history, and this is his legend.

“Hail to the king, baby! It's unbelievable, it kicks ass and it's totally going to happen!” said Randy Pitchford, president of Gearbox Software, "Gearbox has enabled die-hard key Duke Nukem franchise builders and skilled veteran game makers to stand together and deliver. All gamers deserve a happy ending and after all of us gamers feeling the full range of emotions about Duke Nukem Forever, I am thrilled to be in a position with the trust, power and means to make it happen. Am I crazy? Balls of steel, baby, balls of steel!”

Duke Nukem Forever is currently in development for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Windows PC and is not yet rated by PEGI. 2K Games has the exclusive, long-term publishing rights to the game. To catch your first glimpse of the Duke Nukem Forever experience please visit www.dukenukem.com."

THQ today announced the launch of an open beta for "Company of Heroes Online", giving players a chance to try out the upcoming online strategy game.

"Developed by THQ’s Relic Entertainment studio, creators of the award-winning Company of Heroes® and Dawn of War® franchises, Company of Heroes Online is an online multiplayer Real-Time-Strategy game that is free to download and play.  Building on the frenetic Real-Time-Strategy action of the original Company of Heroes, Company of Heroes Online offers army specialization, commander customization, and persistent progression. Players will enter each match with a unique selection of upgrades and hero units with new items and experience earned with every match played.

The Company of Heroes Online Open Beta features two different armies, the Allies and Axis, each with three different divisions offering players a choice of play style. The Open Beta features 17 different multiplayer maps, which will be split between 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4 modes. Players of the Company of Heroes Online Open Beta will also be able to enjoy the single player campaign from Company of Heroes for free. Players can download and play the Open Beta now by going to www.companyofheroes.com.

Users who register for the Company of Heroes Online Open Beta before September 8 will also receive an exclusive in-game item pack for free. This pack will include 3,000 free supply points to use in the shop, 500xp to level up the commander, one free hero unit and one free army item giving early adopters a head start on the competition."

Three DLC packs for "Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days" were released today, extending the recent third-person shooter by IO Interactive.

• "The Doggie Bag Pack  – Take on new heists and unlock new Achievements with two never before seen maps and five exclusive weapons for Multiplayer and Arcade modes. Dockyard and High Rise maps, plus the Radio Tower map provide new opportunity to increase your wealth. And with the inclusion of five new weapons, including the DD 33, KL Viper, RTS, SMi 69, and the TOQ Model Four S the odds are in your favor of pulling off a successful heist.
• Alliance Weapon Pack – Increase your weapons arsenal with seven powerful new weapons for all Multiplayer modes and Arcade mode. A mix of handguns, shotguns and assault rifles the new weapons include: Doretta Silenced, Steele 870, TOQ SBR, Kaliningrad 47, PAC 10 silenced, N 77P Silenced, TOQ Elite.
• Multiplayer Masks Pack – Conceal your identity and avoid revenge attacks with 8 costume masks stolen from a Chinese gift shop, for all Multiplayer modes and Arcade mode. You never want to be identified, especially if you are a traitor!"

Blizzard today announced that "StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty" sold over 3 million copies worldwide in the first month of its release.

"StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty was released simultaneously in North America, Europe, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on July 27. With day-one sales topping 1 million copies, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty became the bestselling PC game of 2010 within its first 24 hours of availability. The game went on to sell more than 1.5 million copies in its first 48 hours, setting the record for fastest-selling strategy game of all time, and has won numerous critical accolades, including multiple editor’s choice awards from major gaming publications.

"We appreciate all the enthusiasm that players around the world have shown for StarCraft II," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "It was important to us to deliver an overall gameplay experience that was accessible, balanced, and fun, and it’s been gratifying to see how strongly the global community has already embraced the game."

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is the sequel to Blizzard Entertainment’s 1998 hit StarCraft, which has been hailed by players and critics worldwide as one of the top real-time strategy games of all time. Sporting a vibrant 3D-graphics engine, StarCraft II once again centres on the clash between the protoss, terrans, and zerg, with each side deploying legions of veteran, upgraded, and new unit types. Unparalleled online play for StarCraft II is available through a new version of Battle.net®, Blizzard Entertainment's world-renowned gaming service. Battle.net has been redesigned from the ground up to be the premier online gaming destination for Blizzard gamers, with several enhancements and new features, such as voice communication, cloud file storage, leagues and ladders, achievements, stat-tracking, and more.

The solo campaign for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty continues the epic saga where it left off in StarCraft: Brood War®. The story line chronicles the exploits of marshal-turned-rebel-leader Jim Raynor and features both familiar faces and new heroes. Players are able to tailor the experience, choosing their own mission path and selecting technology and research upgrades to suit their playing style throughout the 29-mission campaign. Several challenge-mode mini-games are also included, with focused goals designed to ease players into the basics of multiplayer strategies.

For more information on StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, visit the official website at https://us.battle.net/sc2/en/"

2K Games today announced that "Jimmy's Vendetta," the second downloadable content pack for "Mafia II" will be released next Tuesday, September 7.

"Jimmy’s Vendetta takes players into an alternate perspective of the mob through the eyes of Jimmy, the guy the other guys call when they need to finish the job. Players will get their hands dirty helping Jimmy clean up other people’s messes as they deal with the Italian and Irish mobsters that reside in Empire Bay. As players progress, a slew of new quests are unlocked, including assassination and timed vehicle pursuits ending in dramatic shootouts and explosive car chases. Execute with deadly head shots or charged explosives, and rack up points for precision-timed vehicular power slides, lofty jumps, and supercharged velocity. Multipliers and combos add bonus points to overall scores that will be immediately posted to thenew online leaderboard system, providing extensive re-playability as players work to rise to the top of the ranks.

Through a compelling narrative,Mafia II transports gamers into the dark and unforgiving world of the Mafia. The fiction is embellished by a sophisticated, era-evoking atmosphere that meticulously replicatesthe clothing, cars, music and advertising of 1940s and 1950s Americana. Players will easily become immersed in the game's cinematic Hollywood-style experience with strong, believable characters in a living, breathing metropolis. By fusing action-packed gameplay with white-knuckle driving and an epic gangster story, Mafia II is the industry's most compelling Mafia title to-date.

Mafia II is developed by 2K Czech, the same creative team behind the award-winning, genre-defining Mafia®, which captivated millions of gamers around the world. Mafia II is rated M for Mature by the ESRB is currently available worldwide.

For more information on Mafia II, please visit www.mafia2game.com."

The list of new PC game releases, DVD and Blu-Ray releases, and movies opening the week of August 31, 2010.

PC Games:

• Arma 2: British Armed Forces DLC

Movies Opening This Week:

• A Simple Noodle Story (limited LA/NY)
• Going the Distance
• Last Train Home (limited LA/NY)
• Machete
• Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 (limited)
• The American
• The Tillman Story (limited)
• The Winning Season (limited LA/NY)
• White Wedding (limited LA/NY)

DVD and Blu-Ray Releases:

• 9th Company [Blu-Ray]
• Apache Rifles
• Beatdown [Blu-Ray]
• Black Blood Brothers – the complete series
• Brothers & Sisters: Complete Fourth Season
• Celebrated Women of Color Film Collection Vol. 1
• Clear Lake, WI
• Family Movie 4 Pack
• FlashForward: The Complete Series
• Girls on the Road
• Harry Brown [Blu-Ray]
• Hell is Sold Out
• House, MD: The Complete Sixth Season
• Leonard Cohen – Bird On A Wire
• Made for Each Other
• Marmaduke [Blu-Ray]
• NCIS: Los Angeles – The First Season
• Parenthood: Season 1
• Point of Terror
• Sons of Anarchy: Season Two [Blu-Ray]
• Spread
• The Best of Soul Train
• The Evil Dead [Blu-Ray]
• The Judy Garland Show: Volume 5
• THe Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season
• Thriller – the complete series
• Why Did I Get Married Too? [Blu-Ray]

Shrapnel Games today announced "World Supremacy", an upcoming strategy game in development at Malfador Machinations.

"World Supremacy is a Windows beer-and-pretzels strategy game of contemporary conflict for one to eight players. In World Supremacy players have but one goal: total global control through utter annihilation of all who oppose. Control is derived from conquest and the tools of conquest are many; land, air, and sea. And when you care enough to send the very best you can even say hello to your foes with a well placed nuke or two.

In World Supremacy the game world is created fresh for each game with players choosing a variety of settings to tailor their experience. While this means that initially one cannot fight over already familiar territory mod makers will be pleased to learn that any type of map can be created. Want to fight over the real world? Middle Earth? The world of the Destroymen series? Create and conquer.

The weapons of war are instantly recognizable, from modern armor to jet fighters to hunter/killer submarines. Each type of unit can be upgraded up to three levels through a streamlined research process. Even nuclear and neutron weapons can be found in World Supremacy. Battles are fought on a fast playing tactical map, allowing players to flex more than just their strategic muscles. Combat is a do-or-die proposition. Once you attack only one side will be left standing so be sure to bring enough hardware to the fight.

Coming from the developer of the Space Empires series, which was well known for its mod friendliness, gamers will find that World Supremacy is open to mod making. Combined with the random set up of games and the ability to have up to eight players at once ensures that World Supremacy will be a highly replayable game.

Fans of classic light strategy titles will find a lot to like in World Supremacy. Mechanics are easy to grasp and a wide variety of strategies can be applied. Fighting tactically means that it's not enough to bring a whole stack to the fight, knowing how to use that stack will be the key to victory.

World Supremacy currently has no specific release date but is undergoing beta testing, and has a projected general release date of later this year. It will be available for Windows with a price yet to be determined. For more details about the game please visit its official product page.

And for the finest in independent niche and strategy games be sure to visit us at www.shrapnelgames.com for our complete catalog of both free and premium titles."