Diablo 3 soundtrack released on iTunes
If you feel compelled to take Diablo III’s ominous melodies with you everywhere, its 23-track album in now available for $12/£11 on iTunes. It’ll make every walk to the store feel 10 times more perilous — or, just set the first track to loop to simulate the log in experience, and it’s like you’re playing Diablo III wherever you are!
Company of Heroes 2 video interview
Last week we spoke to Relic Entertainment’s Jacen Torres about upcoming RTS Company of Heroes 2, which we’re more than a little bit excited about.
Torres told us about the tactical depth that comes from focusing on small-scale infantry combat, the new ‘truesight’ dynamic line-of-sight system that they’ve created for Company of Heroes 2, and the historical importance – yet relative under-representation – of World War 2′s Eastern Front. Check out the full interview below.
Eve Online: Inferno update is out today
In case you couldn’t tell from the gratuitous, missile-tastic ad banners all over the place (unless you’re running adblock), Eve’s next expansion is called INFERNO and it will contain MISSILES that will let you SET THE UNIVERSE ON FIRE. It also comes with a bunch of less explosive but equally useful updates like a revamped war declaration system, graphical updates to many vessels, more detailed kill reports, factional warfare and a mercenary marketplace.
This is the 17th update CCP have made to Eve at no additional cost to subscribers, and it’s out today. You can find a full overview on the Inferno expansion site. If you’d like to dip in and see the new updates first hand without subscribing, there’s a 14 day free trial available.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive beta gets 15 vs 15 play, “chickens added to Inferno”
The CS:GO beta is evolving. A post on the official Counter-Strike site yesterday announced the addition of more players to official maps. The update is one of the “most requested map features”, according to the devs, and arrives as part of a larger update that rebalances a bunch of weapons based on feedback and data gathered from the community. Burst fire has been smoothened out, bullet tracers are more visible and, most importantly, chickens have been “added to inferno”, which is a monstrous patch note if ever there was one. Here’s the full changelist, as it appears on Steam.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown release date and PC exclusive special edition announced
The XCOM: Enemy Unknown release date is no longer unknown! We’ll get to thwart the invading alien menace on October 9 in the US, and October 12 in Europe.
It wouldn’t be a modern release without a big pre-order pack, and XCOM will be no different. Pre-orders come with the Elite Soldier Pack. That’ll add a “classic X-Com Soldier” as a new recruit in your barracks (silly blonde haircut and all), along with a bunch of bonus aesthetic armour customisation options. You’ll also get “complete colour customisation” to give your battle-weary band of brothers the lurid pink hue they deserve.
Halo creators bringing new MMO-style shooter to PC
A document made public as part of the ongoing Activision/Infinity Ward legal proceedings has revealed that Bungie – the studio behind the Halo games – is due to release some of its upcoming games on PC.
According to Bungie’s contract with Activision, the studio is due to release four games in the ‘Destiny’ series between 2013 and 2019, with a DLC series running until 2020. Destiny is described as a ‘massively multiplayer-style sci-fantasy action-shooter’.
DmC Devil May Cry bringing sensible haircuts to PC next year
There was some extraordinary controversy surrounding Ninja Theory’s redesign of Devil May Cry protagonist, Dante. The floppy haired jerk has metamorphosed into a dark haired, well trimmed jerk but the series staple massive sword + choppable demon combo remains intact, which is all that really matters. At its highest points, the Devil May Cry series has delivered wonderfully precise balletic duels driven by hair-trigger reflexes, dainty dodges and ludicrous combos. That’s never quite translated well to the PC, mind.
Maybe Ninja Theory can do a better job. RPS note that the new Devil May Cry, or DmC Devil May Cry, as it’s known, will be coming to PC sometime next year. Hooray! Check out the trailer above for a glimpse of the sort of kaleidoscopic nonsense that makes Devil May Cry games so entertaining.
Minecraft trading and currency systems teased
Minecraft frontman Jens Bergensten has tweeted a teaser of what he’s currently working on: trading with villagers, complete with currency. If the feature makes it into the game, it looks like you’ll be able to trade coins for armour and equipment. It’ll also give villagers something to do other than hang around and mate with each other, the slackers.
Diablo 3 accounts hacked, items stolen, real money auction house due next week
Numerous players on the Battle.net forums say their Diablo 3 accounts have been hacked. Affected players logged in to find all of their items gone and, in some cases, strangers added to their friends list. There are even a few players with Blizzard Authenticators are claiming that they’ve been compromised.
This morning, our own Tom Hatfield woke up to find all of his items gone, Eurogamer’s Chris Donlan was found wandering around Sanctuary being controlled by someone called “Anna”, Team Dignitas’ Nathaniel tweeted to say that all of his items have been nicked. “I love always on DRM to protect servers,” he says.
It’s often hard to get a handle on the numbers affected by a hacking outbreak, but the amount of anecdotal accounts suggests a significant problem. It’s bizarre enough that players running through Diablo as a single play game are having to put up with account hacks and disappearing items, but there’s another concern. The real money auction house is due to open next Tuesday.
Tribes: Ascend Staying Alive update adds sticky grenades, disco Brute
Hi-Rez have released a video showcasing the next update for Tribes: Ascend. The Staying Alive update focuses on the Brute heavy class and adds three new weapons. The new primary is the Gladiator, a grenade launcher that fires sticky projectiles. There’s also a Plasma Cannon secondary weapon that works like the Plasma Gun from the Raid & Pillage update, and the Survival Pack, which increases run speed and energy regeneration.
Age of Empires Online interview: Tech trees and civ customization
In part one of our interview with Gas Powered Games, we heard all about the changes to Age of Empires Online’s free-to-play model. In part two, the guys give us the lowdown on mechanical changes coming in the summer update, including a tech tree revamp. Read on!
Swords & Soldiers gets Super Saucy Sausage Fest DLC this week
Update! The mission pack will be available on May 23rd and will cost $2.00.
Side-scrolling indie strategy game Swords & Soldiers HD is getting a fresh batch of DLC. The brilliantly alliterative Swords & Soldiers Super Saucy Sausage Fest adds ten new campaign missions, an upgraded challenge mode, and a unique new combination of spells and units. It stars the barbecue-obsessed Chief Meat and his Vikings as they make their way to the titular sausage fest to attempt to win a thousand cows. As you do.
AirMech on its way to Steam
Carbon Games have announced that AirMech, their isometric action/strategy hybrid, has just entered closed testing on Steam. Early access is available to anyone up for liking AirMech on Facebook or Google+.
AirMech mixes arcade-style twin-stick shooting with hands-on strategy elements. You control a mech that can turn into a jet, allowing you to transition between ground and air combat at any time. In the air, you can also pick up and fly your units around. A version of the game is available to play online right now.
Aliens: Colonial Marines release date pushed back to February 12
Colonial Marines was due to hatch in Autumn this year, but the latest release date suggests it needs to gestate for a little longer. February 12 2013 is the new date, as revealed by this tense new trailer starring a some screaming marines, frenzied aliens and the most unsafe bridge construct ever devised. If you have to link two vast space-behemoths together, you might as well do it in a way that provides the most picturesque possible view of the planet below. Just as long as nobody sets off a grenade in it, everything should be just fi-OH WAIT, NOOOO.
Ron Gilbert reveals more character art for upcoming game with Double Fine
More concept art for Ron Gilbert’s unnamed project with Double Fine has crept onto the legendary game designer’s blog over the weekend. The five pictures show off The Scientist, The Adventurer, The Time Traveler, The Hillbilly and The Monk, and the brief description of each suggests that they’re all going to playable characters. A multi-protagonist game by one of the men behind Day of the Tentacle? Yes please.
