The Saboteur is set in 1940s Paris
Pandemic Studios invites you to enter the covert world of the saboteur in a stylised 1940s Paris as you attempt to overturn the Nazi occupation and track down your mortal enemies in this revolutionary new game released on 4th December.
You will play in the character of Sean Devlin, a tough, Irish racing mechanic based on the real-life war hero William Grover-Williams seeking personal revenge after his friends have been killed, one by one, by the Nazis. With a bit of help from the French Resistance, British Intelligence and a full arsenal of weaponry, you’ll use your wits to track down high ranking German officers and officials, blowing up zeppelins, derailing trains and exploding bridges on the way.
Features of the game include The Vertical World which takes you up on to the rooftops of Paris; the perfect place to initiate surprise attacks, plus gameplay systems called Climbing, Sneaking and Stealth Kills to help you infiltrate the Nazis.
Will to Fight combines visual style with gameplay as the environment of Paris changes around you according to the success of your missions. In order to make the district brightly coloured and “happy” you must weaken German forces occupying the area. In doing so, the district’s citizens will also regain hope and assist you in your fight. Areas with low WtF will be dark with the exception of brightly coloured German flags.
You’ll be fighting your way from the top of the Eiffel Tower to the banks of the Seine, taking in the whole panoply of the city. With a RRP of £49.99 The Saboteur is not only a great game, it’s a great way to see Paris.
The Whispered World - fantasy and adventure game
The fantasy adventure game The Whispered World is to be released in the UK, Scandinavia, France, Spain and Italy on February 12th 2010 for use with Windows PC, XP or Vista.
The beautifully animated point-and-click game from Daedalic Entertainment follows the 12-year-old clown Sadwick, who is visited in his dreams by a strange, blue creature that despatches him on an adventurous journey from autumn forests to islands through the crumbling Whispered World. As the only person who can prevent the destruction of the world, Sadwick has to discover the meaning of a mysterious prophecy somewhere along the way.
Integral to the game is Sadwick’s companion Spot who helps to solve many puzzles and is able to shape shift on the user’s command and metamorphose into useful tools like a flaming torch or sheet of paper etc. Throughout the game, the player simply chooses to point at an object to look at it and decide whether to pick it up or keep it. With hand-painted backgrounds, fine details and atmospheric music, a fairy-tale atmosphere is created with melancholic overtones that create the setting for a truly epic story.
Animated by Macro Hüllen, the wide backgrounds sidescroll on different levels to create a sense of depth, even in 2D, and are reminiscent of games like Runaway and So Blonde. The storyline is also sophisticated with witty dialogue, so should appeal to adults and kids alike. Game reviewers have pointed out that The Whispered World has something missing from many others available on the market – an emotional connection. It’s a game that will move you, it will soothe and entrance you – it may even bring a tear to your eye and it’s available from February 12th 2010.
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DiRT-2 plus DLC is on the shelves now
Codemaster’s exciting new driving game is the ultimate off-road racing with superb handling, exceptional visual and audio detail, exciting new locations and driving situations that can be played with multiple players or solo.
DiRT2 follows on from Colin McRae: Dirt and is the first video game in the McRae series since the Scottish rally driver’s untimely death in a helicopter accident in 2007. This time the game offers more in the way of graphics with details like water splashing on to the windscreen, slick vehicle handling and realistic crash sequences as with the screech of twisted metal, handbrake turns and roaring engines, you’re thrown from one event to another. One minute you may be in a rally cross event, the next you may be racing monster trucks or negotiating a point-to-point rally with a co-driver.
Taking place in real-world environments of Asia, Europe, Africa and North America, DiRT2 includes five different events: rally, rally cross, trailblazer, land rush and raid requiring mastery of different driving styles with canyon racing, jungle trails and city-stadium based events. Players can test their skills against the likes of Ken Block or Travis Pastrana – all the other drivers on the track respond to your driving method – ie if you play dirty and drive them off the course, they’re liable to hold that against you and give you a rough ride in future events. A flashback feature allows you to return to the scene of a crash up to three times so you can rectify your driving mistakes and difficulty levels can be altered before every event.
Codemasters have also released multiple downloadable content packs for DiRT 2 which can be used by players to customise and add features to the boxed game; the Access All Areas Pack for £3.19 which gives VIP entry to 100 events set on 41 tracks with access to X-Games events and their courses and The Trust Fund Pack at £3.19 means you can download and experience 35 killer rides and upgrade liveries.
With positive reviews from major gaming companies, DiRT2 is a white knuckle ride and a genuine test of your driving skills and you can buy it now.
Mass Effect 2 is being released on 26th & 29th January
The heroic Commander Shepard is back for the second installment of the epic trilogy Mass Effect and will be on the shelves on 26th January 2010 in North America and 29th January in Europe.
Leading games developer BioWare has also announced pre-order incentives to be released at key retailers in North America and across Europe with codes for downloading being provided on the release of the game. Described as “awesome bonus content” by co-founder of BioWare, Dr Ray Muzyka, these incentives include special in-game armour and weaponry to boost skills and abilities.
Having fought off the threat of the invading Reapers in Mass Effect 1, Commander Shepard now faces an even more terrifying enemy that lurks on the edges of the known universe and is responsible for the disappearance of entire human colonies.
Assuming his role, you have to assemble the crew of elite operatives and command the most powerful ship ever built. Then you have to train and equip the team to survive and choose from a powerful arsenal of heavy weaponry that can end a battle in seconds. The team members are potentially dangerous and a new recruit who has a tattoo for every person she has killed, there could also be a threat from within the team, or maybe not…
With intense shooter action and cinematic effect, you’ll be transported to a vast universe filled with alien life and mysterious planets as you embark on what is described as a “suicide mission” to save humanity. Have you got what it takes to prove them wrong?
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PES 2010 release dates
Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has provided a tantalising foretaste of the amazing graphics to be featured in the up and coming PES 2010 title due for release on October 23rd on PS3, Xbox 360, mobile phone and PC.
A series of incredibly realistic images of members of several national football teams has to be seen to be believed with lifelike representations of the likes of Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Steven Gerrard portrayed in all their glory – even down to blemishes, hairs on arms and weave of kit.
Gameplay will be all about real football simulation with more versatile goalkeepers and intuitive zonal defending with players constantly needing to look out for new ways to attack. The referees have also been revamped. Crowd reaction will be more realistic too with rumours that the Tokyo-based development team has tried to differentiate between crowds at home and away fixtures. Gamers can also now move several players at once and the individual talents of each player will be reflected in the way they play and will affect the way in which the other players react.
Taking the world of virtual football to another level, the development team has added a further degree of realism in the new lighting system where real-time shadows and weather conditions influence the game – in fact – all the realities of a UK football match replicated in grim detail – never mind, it could be worse – you could actually be there!
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The official box-art for BioShock 2 isn't yet available, here's a mock-up the fans came up with!
The original BioShock was one of the huge surprises of 2007, and finally, it’s time for the long-awaited sequel, BioShock 2.
Bioshock 2 promises to continue the deeply disturbing game-play from the original BioShock. This time around, you switch sides. Instead of re-visiting the role of Jack, you control a rogue Big Daddy. If you haven’t played the first game, this all sounds a little bit dodgy, but trust us, if the original BioShock – which turned the classical First Person Shooter (FPS) genre inside-out – is anything to go by, its sequel will be something quite special indeed.
This time around, the game doesn’t end once you’ve played through single player mode: Multiplayer in BioShock 2 will provide “a rich prequel experience that expands the origins of the BioShock fiction.”, according to Take 2 Interactive, who produce the game.
The game will be available on Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and for Windows from the 9th of February 2010.
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Aliens vs Predator Release Date
Due for release in February 2010, Aliens vs Predator is released as a new video game, developed by the original team behind the 1999 release, Rebellion Developments.
- As the Marine, you’ll experience a claustrophobic and terrifying experience where light is your friend, but there’s never enough. However, the United States Marine Corps are humanity’s last line of defence, and as such they are armed to the teeth with the very latest in high explosive and automatic weaponry.
- As the Predator, you will stalk from the shadows and from above, passing athletically through the treetops to ambush your victims. Although equipped with an array of powerful, exotic weapons and tracking equipment, honour ultimately dictates that you must get in close and take your trophies face to face.
- As the most deadly species in the universe, the Alien offers you the chance to play as the very stuff of nightmares – the monster in the dark swarming forward with countless others, jaws like a steel trap and claws like blades.
- Play all sides off against each other in a series of unique 3-way online modes and go tooth-to-claw-to-pulse rifle in the reinvention of one of multiplayer gaming’s defining moments.
Alien vs Predator is released for PC, PS3 and XBox 360 on 26th February 2010.
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Dragon Age Release Date
From the makers of Mass Effect, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Baldur’s Gate comes an epic tale of violence, lust, and betrayal. The survival of humanity rests in the hands of those chosen by fate. You are a Grey Warden, one of the last of an ancient order of guardians who have defended the lands throughout the centuries. Betrayed by a trusted general in a critical battle, you must hunt down the traitor and bring him to justice.
Dragon Age: Origins is a dark heroic fantasy set in a unique world. As the spiritual successor of BioWare’s popular Baldur’s Gate series of games, it uses a pause-and-play tactical combat system. Play in over-the-shoulder mode, or the more tactical top-down view. Dragon Age: Origins features a stunning amount of cinematic dialog. Players will be able to acquire unique party members. These party members will have their own motivations for accompanying the player.
Dragon Age: Origins is released for PS Windows, XBox 360 and PS3 on 20th October.
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Aion - The Tower of Eternity
Aion – The Tower of Eternity is released as a limited collector’s edition for PC on 25th September.
This multi-player online role-playing game requires a monthly subscription to play and the limited collectors edition has the following exclusive features:
6.5″ hand-painted figurine of Aiva, a winged Asmodian Daeva
Exclusive in-game items (see below)
Two dual-sided, full-colour posters
Full-colour, trifold quick reference card
Official Aion soundtrack CD
Two game DVDs
Game manual
First 30 days of gameplay
Exclusive in-game items:
Black Cloud Wings (gives 40 seconds of additional flight time)
Black Cloud Earring (gives an HP and an MP boost)
Special character title with stat boost
Colour dye to tint one in-game item
Two character emotes
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StarCraft 2 Release date
StarCraft 2 from Blizzard Entertainment continues the epic saga of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg. These three distinct and powerful races will clash once again in the fast-paced real-time strategy sequel to the legendary original, StarCraft. Legions of veteran, upgraded, and brand-new unit types will do battle across the galaxy, as each faction struggles for survival.
Featuring a unique single-player campaign that picks up where StarCraft: Brood War left off, StarCraft 2 will present a cast of new heroes and familiar faces in an edgy sci-fi story filled with adventure and intrigue. In addition, Blizzard will again offer unparalleled online play with several enhancements and new features to make StarCraft II the ultimate competitive real-time strategy game.
StarCraft 2 Release Date is set at the 4th December 2009
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