Total War: Shogun 2 – Fall of the Samurai release date set
March 23 is the release date for Total War: Shogun 2 – Fall of the Samurai, the enticing standalone expansion to Shogun 2.
Fall of the Samurai introduces six new factions to do battle for an expanded campaign map portraying ancient Japan on the verge of an age of transition. Western weaponry is being imported in greater numbers, and factions within Japan are seeking to use them to overthrow the ancient Shogunate using the muskets and massive cannons provided by imperial forces.
The expansion will add new tech trees, ground units, naval units and agents as well. You can find out more in our great big preview in the latest issue of PC Gamer UK, which you can order now online, or get digitally through Zinio or Apple Newsstand.
Aliens: Colonial Marines delayed until Autumn
Aliens: Colonial Marines has been delayed from Spring this year, to Autumn. The darker months of late 2012 will better suit the co-op shooter, which was announced several millennia ago, shortly after the birth of the universe.
SEGA explain the delay over on Edge, saying that the process of making a game about shooting aliens in the face is “a process of creativity and invention” that doesn’t “necessarily follow the structure of an assembly line.”
Muster the Rohirrim! Lord of the Rings Online rides to Rohan
Fresh off the heals of the Lord of the Rings Online expansion that pit us against Saruman, Rise of Isengard, players will finally get to take their first step in the realm of Theoden himself, Rohan! I sat down with the game’s executive producer, Kate Paiz, to hear all about the new content, gameplay mechanics and adventure coming to ring-chasers this Fall.
League of Legends’ AI bots multiply, get smarter, and move to Dominion [Hands-on]
I ran out of my spawn area on League of Legends’ Dominion map and made a move for the nearest capture-point, which an enemy Sona was stealing from us. I was confident I could take the flimsy healer and reclaim our home point, but before I can get in range, a burst of flames erupts around me and burning-man Brand bursts from the bushes. He’s now pacing side-to-side between me and Sona, tossing out flames if I get close, but stubbornly refusing to let me drag him off point, where I could safely kill him.
Now, Brand running interference on a point in Dominion isn’t that unusual—but this Brand is a bot, and he’s ruining my day, courtesy of the improved AI and bot rosters being added to League of Legends in the next few weeks.
Max Payne 3 release date pushed back to May
Rockstar have announced that they’re pushing back the release date for Max Payne 3 from March to May 29 in the US and June 1 internationally. “We do not take changes to our release schedule lightly,” said Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick in a statement. “This short delay will ensure that Max Payne 3 delivers the highest quality, groundbreaking entertainment experience that is expected from our Company.”
Maybe Take-Two are taking the time to polish Max Payne 3′s multiplayer mode, new territory for a series that’s so far been entirely obsessed with the life and times of its gurning protagonist. The third Max Payne looks like it’ll try to merge the shadowy film noir stylings of the first two games with the sun-baked slums of Brazil, and will be bringing some of Rockstar’s impressive animation technology to Max’s graceful dives. See some of that animation in action in this Max Payne 3 trailer. Check out our Max Payne 3 preview for more information on Max’s latest adventure.
Jagged Alliance: Back in Action release date announced
The new Jagged Alliance game, Back in Action is due to arrive on February 10 in Europe, and February 14 in the US. A new Jagged Alliance: Back in Action trailer has appeared as well.The new Jagged Alliance will show all of your orders unfolding at once, a la Frozen Synapse, a slightly snappier version of the traditional turn-based model which would have your soldiers taking their turns individually while the rest of the battlefield remains locked in stasis.
The Old Republic tries out survival-horror with its next endgame Flashpoint, Kaon Under Siege
It’s easy to forget that the world of Star Wars is filled with dirty, scary places–it’s not all Gungan cities and Ewok campfires. BioWare’s tapping into this darker side of Star Wars in the first Flashpoint added to The Old Republic after its launch, in the big Rise of the Rakghouls update coming on January 17th. It looks spooky, frantic, and – most importantly – will feature a full story with group choices and consequences, much like the game’s first two Flashpoints: Black Talon and Esseles.
Plantronics reveals GameCom 780 7.1 headsets/GameCom 380 headsets
Plantronics met with PC Gamer today to talk about their new headsets, the USB 7.1 Dolby Pro Logic II GameCom 780 (and their lower-priced stereo GameCom 380, with analog jacks rather than USB). The 780 and 380 are both set for US release on January 15th. At launch, they’ll be available at retail in Best Buy stores nationwide, or—if you prefer shopping via mouse and keyboard—you can snag ‘em online through Plantronics.com/us or Amazon.com. The 780 will set you back 80 clams, while the 380 will cost you $50. Read on for more details!
Playing with time travel, tesla coils, and mini-helicopters in DC Universe Online’s new update
Let’s get this out of the way up front: yes, the Flash has a ridiculous contraption called the Cosmic Treadmill that he runs on to somehow transport people back in time. It’s weird, it’s goofy, and it’s going to provide some of the coolest gameplay moments of any superhero game ever.
How can a treadmill of the cosmos possibly provide such mind-blowing gameplay experiences? Well, just think of the most memorable, awesome events in DC comic history. Now, imagine getting to play out all of those events and see them unfold first-hand. That’s the power of the Cosmic Treadmill, my friend.
We sat down with DC Universe Online‘s Creative Director Jens Andersen, who walked us through all of the content in the big Flash-themed update releasing next Tuesday, and teased us about his big plans for the future, including revisiting the origin stories of DC’s biggest villains and heroes.
Gotham City Impostors release date set for January 2012
Gotham City Impostors is a multiplayer shooter in which gangs of amateurs dress up as poorly conceived and possibly drunk versions of their favourite DC superheroes and villains to do battle. The idea is that they’re ordinary people with ordinary lives looking to vent their frustrations in combat. Fights take place in hastily knocked up arenas based on famous Batman locations, but only when the superheroes are off saving lives in another part of town.
Gotham City Impostors now has a release date, January 10 next year, when it’ll be available as a download title only. Find out more on the Gotham City Impostors site.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 release date announced, shoot men from far away in March
Become the bane of enemy soldiers who can’t quite take cover properly in Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2. City Interactive will bring their CryEngine 3 powered sniper sim to PC next March. It’ll hit Europe on March 16, and the US on March 20. The in-game footage above is taken from Sniper’s Gamescom showing, and feels a lot like Call of Duty 4′s Chernobyl level, in which you spend a lot of time dressed as a bush, being told what to do by another man dressed as a bush. But imitating greenery is the second most exciting thing about being a sniper. The first is the feeling of god-like power as you hover your sights over a distant, unaware foe. Expect plenty of that come March 2012.
Mass Effect 3 multiplayer details revealed
After rumours, hints, and finally yesterday’s confirmation, we now have concrete details of Mass Effect 3′s co-operative multiplayer mode. A post on the Bioware forums explains the four player co-op mode can optionally impact the outcome of the single player game.
Check inside for a full breakdown of how this will work.
Max Payne 3 release date set for March, will have multiplayer
Rockstar have sent over word that Max Payne 3 will see a full release in March 2012. We’ll get to dive sideways and kill goons in the face as the hardboiled New Yorker as a cop and a private security agent for a wealthy industralist in Sao Paulo in a single player campaign that will span Max’s entire career.
For the first time, there will also be a multiplayer mode which “dynamically alters maps and mode progression for all players in a match.” There will be a “deep reward and levelling system,” too with clan support and loadout customisation. Will bullet time feature in the multiplayer mode? We’ll have to wait a few more months to find out. Rockstar have released another pair of screenshots to keep us guessing. See them both below.
A Game of Thrones: Genesis release date announced with new screenshots
Winter is coming on September 29. That’s the day Cyanide’s RTS take on George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire novels is released to the world.
It’ll be interesting to see how the political wrangling, backstabbing and sheer boob power of the books and TV series take form in a real time strategy game. We learned in our Game of Thrones preview that there’s an entire aspect of the game labelled “underhand,” and there will be plenty of opportunity to back stab trusting allies using Genesis’ diplomacy options. In fact, Cyanide say that it’s possible to use the sneakiest strategies at your disposal to win a game without fighting an open battle, or even raising an army.
Five new screenshots have been unveiled alongside the release date announcement, showing a famous landmark Game of Thrones fans will quickly recognise. Get ‘em below.
Jurassic Park release date announced
Telltale games have told IGN that their take on Jurassic Park is angling for a November 15. It suffered an initial delay, because Telltale can’t see release dates if they don’t move.
In case you missed it, the trailer above covers Telltale’s approach to the films, and pitches the game as more of a survival adventure instead of a dinosaur shooter. Also: Tyrannosaurus Rex! Read our Jurassic Park hands on for more details.
