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Winning Eleven 8 Demo 11:00 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: sports
(0 comments)
Soccer hooligans rejoice:The demo comes in at a shade under 200 megs.
Battle for Middle Earth 1.01 Patch 06:46 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: real-time strategy
(0 comments)
EA released the v1.01 patch for Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth which comes in at 17 megs. Among the fixes, changes and improvements are three new multiplayer maps as well. Snag a copy from:
UPN Cancels Enterprise 06:27 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: general news
(20 comments)
Not 100% game related, but I'd be remiss in my duties as a geek if I didn't mention that UPN has cancelled Star Trek Enterpise after its last episode only reached 2.5 million viewers.
Dragons of Norrath Q&A; 06:19 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: mmog
(1 comment)
The EQ Vault interviewed SOE about its forthcoming expansion pack to EverQuest, The Dragons of Norrath:
EQ Vault: What can new players look forward to with this expansion?
Robert Pfister: Probably the new mission system and the amazing art are two of the most notable things about Dragons of Norrath. The dragon models and the zones are absolutely stunning. The mission system allows players to receive a hand-crafted mission to engage a zone instance specific for their group. It's really a lot of fun and should be a big hit.
Humpday WPG 06:13 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: general news
(0 comments)
Happy humping:
DAoC Server Clustering Next Week 06:00 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: mmog
(3 comments)
In the latest beta patch notes on Pendragon, Mythic announced that it was moving ahead of schedule in its plan to cluster Dark Age of Camelot servers together, allowing people from three different servers to battle against each other in the same zones; without actually merging them. There's still no mention of what servers are going to be clustered together however. Today is also the last day to lock down the lower monthly rates before they hike up to $15.
Empire Earth II Impressions 05:49 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: real-time strategy
(0 comments)
Gamespy and Gamespot shared some impressions of Empire Earth II after checking out a beta build of the game: 2001's Empire Earth is still one of the biggest real-time strategy games we've ever seen. In it, you controlled a civilization from the Stone Age to the Space Age and beyond, all within the space of a few hours. During that span, you explored the world, settled it, and then raised armies and waged war against your neighbors in the ruthless quest for survival and dominance. Now, Vivendi Universal Games is readying a sequel, and we recently had a chance to check it out. Judging from the time we've spent with it, Empire Earth II looks to be every bit as epic as its predecessor. It should be noted, however, that Empire Earth II isn't just a simple follow-up. Mad Doc Software, the company that inherited development duties from creator Stainless Steel, essentially started the game from scratch. As a result, Empire Earth II promises to be a whole new game.
I loved the first one; the second seems hot as well.
Brothers in Arms Preview 05:42 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: action
(0 comments)
C&VG; shot up a preview of Gearbox's upcoming WW2 inspired shooter, Brothers in Arms:
Squad command is one feature that really makes Brothers in Arms stand out from the rest of the competition - not least because the context-sensitive order system is an absolute cinch to use. Yes, OK, the levels have all been realistically modelled on the environment of the period, but when you're ducking incoming fire and cowering behind brick walls as bullets ping off your cover and zing by your head (this sounds so realistic it actually caused us to physically duck), being able to order a buddy to suppress the enemy is far more important than door A on building Y being accurately placed to the centimetre.
On a related note, PC Gamer.com has a multiplayer overview of the game.
Unreal Interviews 05:39 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: action
(0 comments)
First up, CGO interviewed Midway Games's Director of Marketing Steve Allison about their move to use the Unreal Engine 3 in pretty much its entire upcoming generation of games. Next up, Shacknews has a Q&A; with Epic's Mike Capps about Unreal Championship 2 for the Xbox.
PvP in Upcoming City of Heroes Patch 05:33 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: mmog
(5 comments)
Word on the official website is player verses player combat will finally be added to City of Heroes in the upcoming update:
Player-Vs-Player Arena Matches!
Heroes now have the opportunity to compete against each other in a variety of battle scenarios designed to hone their fighting skills to incredible levels!
- Solo, Team or Supergroup slug-fests for characters of all levels.
- Arenas are found in zones accessible to all levels of characters: in Galaxy City, Talos Island, and Peregrine Island.
- Matches can be preset or customized by the players.
Options include pick-up instant matches or scheduled events between teams and supergroups.
- PvP is only done with the consent of each player involved.
Includes constantly updating Ranking System where players see their character's ranked among the best of Paragon City.
- Winners in the Arena matches gain recognition and the losers gain valuable battle experience without earning character debt.
Kick ass! If they actually included this at launch I might've actually given the game a chance. Thanks CoH Vault.
Alex Garden Leaves THQ 11:28 am
- Andrew Burnes
- games: general news
(12 comments)
Relic Entertainment founder Alex Garden has left THQ to work on various unknown projects according to Computer Games Magazine.
Gran Turismo 4 North America Release Date 08:53 am
- Andrew Burnes
- consoles: ps2
(11 comments)
After the announcement of a March 9th launch for Gran Turismo 4 in Europe, North American gamers will be happy to hear that they can get their grubby hands on the Playstation 2 racer even earlier:
Sony Computer Entertainment America announced today the February 22, 2005 North American release of Gran Turismo 4, available exclusively for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system. Based on the worldwide best-selling racing videogame franchise that has sold more than 38 million units sold worldwide, Gran Turismo 4 continues to push the technological capabilities of PlayStation 2 to serve as a realistic driving simulation, with broadcast-quality graphics and realistic car physics that exceeds past Gran Turismo titles.
Developed by Polyphony Digital Inc., Gran Turismo 4 features the largest selection of cars ever provided to gamers, including more than 700 automobiles, encompassing 80 manufacturers worldwide and representing historically significant vehicles up from the first classic car and muscle cars to modern day concept cars. In addition to the vehicles, Gran Turismo 4 features more than 50 courses, a new GT career mode with more than 200 championship races, an all-new Photo mode, highly detailed car customization, and many other gaming options for the auto enthusiast.
No exclusive cars for you though, suckers.
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Award Winners 08:48 am
- Andrew Burnes
- games: general news
(9 comments)
With the DICE summit kicking off The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has announced the winners of their 8th annual awards, with Half-Life 2 picking up 9 gongs, including 'Game of The Year.' Check out the full list here.
Midway To Use Unreal Engine 3 For Future Games 07:31 am
- Andrew Burnes
- games: general news
(11 comments)
Midway will be powering a wide range of future titles with the drop dead gorgeous Unreal Engine 3:
Midway Games Inc, a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software, today announced a multi-year licensing agreement with Epic Games giving Midway use of Epic's Unreal Engine 3 technology and tools for next generation console and PC game development. Unreal Engine 3 technology and tools are now in use at Midway's internal studios including: Midway's Chicago studio, the makers of NBA Ballers and the Mortal Kombat franchise; Midway's Austin studio, developers of Area 51; and Surreal Software, the creators of The Suffering.
Sports titles, MK titles, action games, S&M; titles, and anything else Midway can think of will likely be made with UE3, saving time and development costs in an increasingly expensive business. Additionally, Midway will be expanding their PC business, as explained below:
This agreement with Epic furthers Midway's strategy to align itself with the top development technology and talent in the industry. The relationship also allows Midway to build on Unreal Engine 3 technology to create specific tools and assets that will be utilized across all Midway internal studios. This studio-wide effort is expected to be instrumental in the development and progression of major franchises as well as the creation of new game properties. The agreement also underscores Midway's commitment to the premium PC games market.
European World of Warcraft Launches Feb 11th 07:27 am
- Andrew Burnes
- mmog: role-playing
(6 comments)
World of Warcraft will launch in Europe next Friday, so rejoice and stuff:
World of Warcraft has already shown strong consumer demand in Europe with beta registrations topping 400,000 subscribers and retail pre-orders exceeding 110,000 units. In North America, World of Warcraft sold through over 240,000 copies to customers during its first 24 hours of availability*. The game has since sold over 600,000 copies in the region and has also shattered all previous North American concurrency records, achieving over 200,000 simultaneous players during the 2004 holiday season.
World of Warcraft will be available in Europe for Windows� 98/ME/2000/XP and Macintosh� at a suggested retail price of �29.99, and will include a free one-month subscription to the game. The game and packaging have been fully localised in English, French and German; a localised box and manual will be available for Spanish and Italian players. For the initial shipment, the standard edition of World of Warcraft will be available in the aforementioned languages in two unique box covers representing the major factions of the world, Alliance and Horde. Both boxes will include the full version of the game on four CD-ROM disks. World of Warcraft has received a 12+ age rating in Europe.
The exclusive collector's edition of World of Warcraft will be available at launch, in limited quantities, for a suggested retail price of �44.99. The game, box and manual will be available in English, French and German, with a localised box and manual in Spanish and Italian. The special collector's edition will include the World of Warcraft game on both CD-ROM and DVD, a free one-month subscription, a World of Warcraft behind-the-scenes DVD in English, an exclusive in-game pet, a cloth map of the game world, a soundtrack CD, an Art of the World of Warcraft coffee table book, and a commemorative game manual signed by the development team.
After the initial free one-month subscription ends, players of World of Warcraft will be able to continue playing under one of three different subscription plans. The basic month-to-month subscription plan costs �8.99 per month, while the three-month plan costs �8.39 per month and the six-month plan costs �7.69 per month. World of Warcraft subscription fees can be paid with all major credit cards, many local cards, direct debit (such as ELV in Germany) and pre-paid game cards, the latter of which will be available in retail outlets where World of Warcraft is sold.
A lengthy quote for one of the most popular games of all time.
The Godfather Officially Announced 07:21 am
- Andrew Burnes
- games: action
(1 comment)
EA's PR people finally broke loose of their cement shoes, and have officially announced The Godfather:
Electronic Arts and Viacom Consumer Products today announced a videogame based on The Godfather fiction is under development and will put gamers at the center of the action in one of history's most revered masterpieces. The book by Mario Puzo and classic film by Paramount Pictures serve as inspiration for the game as gamers will join the Corleone family and earn respect through loyalty and fear as they rise through the ranks to become Don in a living 1945-1955 New York. The game is scheduled for release in fall 2005 under the EA GAMES brand for the Xbox videogame system from Microsoft, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Sony PSP handheld entertainment system and PC.
Gamers will create their own mob character in the game, putting themselves into the action while reliving classic moments from the fiction and experiencing original missions alongside memorable characters from the film. After a life of small-time jobs and petty thefts the player will be accepted into the Corleone family, America's most famous criminal organization. It will be up to the player to carry out orders, earn respect and make New York City their own.
Featuring non-linear action-adventure gameplay, The Godfather will offer gamers countless choices for solving the family's problems with brutal violence, skillful diplomacy, or a cunning mixture of both. From mob hits and bank heists to drive-bys and extortion, step deep inside the world of The Godfather where intimidation and negotiation are your tickets to the top. Players will use their powers of loyalty and fear to earn respect through interactions with characters in the world. Decisions made by the player in the game will have lasting consequences, just as it was in the mob underworld featured in The Godfather fiction.
STALKER Indeterminately Delayed 07:13 am
- Andrew Burnes
- games: action
(10 comments)
THQ's German news page reveals that STALKER has been delayed once again, with 'when it's done' now being the due date. Previously slated for a May release, GSC's Oleg Yavorsky had this to say:
We are pleased that THQ has granted us more time for development. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is a complex game, which will push the boundaries of its genre. We wish to make sure that we release the game only when it fulfils our highest expectations, which we ourselves and the fans place against it, and not before then.
Resident Evil 4 GameCube Bundle For Europe 06:31 am
- Andrew Burnes
- consoles: gamecube
(8 comments)
Come March 18th Europe is to receive an excellent value GameCube bundle that includes Resident Evil 4, for just �89:
Nintendo has today unveiled an exclusive Resident Evil 4 bundle pack which will launch alongside the game on March 18th 2005. Included in the bundle is a limited edition Platinum and Black Resident Evil 4 branded Nintendo GameCube, a platinum and black controller featuring the Resident Evil 4 logo, a copy of the game and a special bonus disc featuring making of footage of Resident Evil 4, plus game movies of Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis; Resident Evil Code: Veronica, Resident Evil Zero, Resident Evil 4 and a playable demo of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - all at the fantastic estimated retail price of around �89! This great offer will be available across Europe from 18th March 2005.
If you want to experience the best survival horror game ever made, but alas don't have a GameCube, then this is the perfect way.
Ubisoft Expands Montreal Workforce 03:25 am
- Andrew Burnes
- games: general news
(6 comments)
Ubisoft will be increasing its Montreal workforce by 1,000 with the assistance of the Canadian authorities who are offering substantial grants, subsidies, and tax breaks. However, the expansion won't be complete for another five years:
Paris-based Ubisoft plans to hire programmers, game designers and computer animation specialists in the city over the next five years, Martin Tremblay, who runs the company's Canadian unit, said at a press conference in Montreal today. Ubisoft picked Montreal over such cities as Shanghai, Vancouver and Orlando, Florida, co-founder Gerard Guillemot said.
"We think Ubisoft can create more value by remaining independent," Guillemot said. Electronic Arts' move has proved that "Ubisoft has a great value, much more than people thought. It brought us numerous contacts with other large potential partners, so it means that we are in discussion with a bigger number of people."
DNF Nuggets 12:20 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: action
(21 comments)
3D Realms' George Broussard paid a visit to the official forums sharing a bit of news on Duke Nukem Forever. Just click on any of the below links if you want to find out more:
Hardware & Tech 12:08 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- hardware: general news
(0 comments)
Game Reviews 12:06 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: general news
(0 comments)
In Other News... 12:03 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- in-house: in other news...
(28 comments)
It looks like that demo for Star Wars Republic Commando went over pretty well yesterday (all things considered). Having solid graphics is a definite plus. It still needs a bit of polish, but seems pretty cool nonetheless. Today's question: Best Star Wars game?
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