Week of July 16, 2006

Publisher 2K Games sent over three new images of The Darkness, the latest comics-to-game adaption from Starbreeze. The title is due out sometime in 2007 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Another week, another handful of images of El Matador, Cenega's third-person shooter due out this year on the PC.

Thanks to the great community of reviewers and gamers, we have another round of game reviews for you to enjoy.

Yeah, I really screwed up that heading. Anyway, Blizzard released four new images concerning their upcoming patch that adds PvP to World of Warcraft.

Valve has released a teaser trailer for TeamFortress 2, their long-in-development class-based multiplayer game. It's been six long years since anything was ever shown, but you can see it now by downloading the teaser:

Chronicle 5: Oath of Blood, the upcoming massive free expansion to Lineage® II, continues the tradition of adding tons of new territories, monsters and loot. However, this expansion brings the evolution of Lineage II: The Chaotic Chronicle full-circle with finely-tuned enhancements to existing features designed specifically to improve solo play and the new player experience. Armed with feedback from the European and North American communities, Studio E&G has revitalised multiple systems that both appeal to new players and enrich the experience of veterans. It is time for another good hard look at Lineage® II… 14 million people worldwide can’t be wrong!

The Adventure Company, a leading publisher of PC adventure games, today announced that the North American version of SAFECRACKER: The Ultimate Puzzle Adventure has gone gold. Developed by Kheops Studio, Safecracker is a unique puzzle adventure game that requires you to use your wits, deductive reasoning, and puzzle solving skills to crack the master safe!

Take on the roll of an expert safecracker hired by the wealthy family of recently deceased billionaire, Duncan W. Adams. As an avid safe collector, this “eccentric” billionaire has hidden the deed to his riches in one of 35 extraordinary safes. Explore stunning rooms created with incredible detail and realism, as you decipher clues scattered throughout his extravagant mansion cracking safe after safe. You must crack them all in order to find the last will and testament.

Features:

* The ultimate challenge for puzzle enthusiasts and wanna-be safecrackers
* Explore 30 lavish and intriguing rooms of an extravagant mansion created in great detail
* A challenging puzzle adventure game with 35 unique safes to crack
* Decipher unexpected clues inside each safe that will help you open the others ultimately leading you to the master safe
* Evolving game map allows players to navigate easily through the mansion accessing various secret rooms
* Easy to hard puzzle difficulty to challenge all types of puzzle enthusiasts
* In-game hint system available
* Non-linear approach to exploration of the mansion and safecracking
* From the developers of Return to Mysterious Island

Developed by Kheops Studio, Safecracker is anticipated to receive an ESRB rating of ‘E’ for Everyone. For additional information please visit our website at www.AdventureCompanyGames.com

2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), and Gas Powered Games, the renowned video game developer, today announced that Dungeon Siege II: Broken World for PC has gone gold and is off to manufacturing. The game will ship to North American retail stores on August 1st.

Dungeon Siege II: Broken World picks up right where Dungeon Siege II left off with an all new campaign that concludes the story and adds two new character classes, terrifying beasts and monsters, and a newly refined tactical battle sytem. Dungeon Siege II: Broken World will require the full version of Dungeon Siege II to play.

Electronic Arts released sixteen new screenshots of their seminal football franchise Madden NFL 2007, eight each for both the PC and the Xbox 360.

We have another round of game reviews for you. Out of the bunch, Chromehounds was our surprise favorite.

Groove Games, a global interactive entertainment software publisher, today announced that WarPath, their sci-fi, first-person shooter, has shipped to retail stores throughout North America for the PC and Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Developed by Pariah creators, Digital Extremes, WarPath is rated T for Teen by the ESRB, and is available for $29.99 for the Xbox and $19.99 for PC.

WarPath features:

• Three unique species to choose from, each with their own unique weapon load-out and appearance
• Three land-based vehicles
• Eight weapons: the Wolverine, Tyrant, Violator, Judge, Vanguard, Javelin, Vibro Blade, and EMAD, allow for a highly diversified range of play styles
• Upgradeable weapons that unlock more functionality and greater destructive force with each new level
• UNREAL® engine and Havok® physics technology provide stunning visuals and effects
• In single player practice mode, gamers can go up against 32 bots for an adrenaline-filled multiplayer simulation
• Four modes of high-speed, intensely addictive multiplayer action – Death Match, Team Death Match, Capture the Flag, and Front Line Assault
• 25 Multiplayer levels that take players across the diverse indoor and outdoor environments of Kaladi
• Support for 2-16 players via LAN or Online, allowing battles to be intimate grudge matches, or all out clan carnage! (32 players via a dedicated server in the PC Version)
• Multiplayer mode gives access to all the weapons and upgrades that players unlocked and mastered in the single player campaign

For more information on WarPath please visit http://www.playwarpath.com.

Publisher JoWooD Productions presents SpellForce 2 – Dragon Storm, the eagerly awaited extension to the award-wining PC Game SpellForce 2 – Shadow Wars. SpellForce 2 – Dragon Storm offers more of the original’s entertaining and seamless blend of RTS and RPG gameplay. The expansion pack will be released in Winter 2006.

“With international ratings of over 90 percent, SpellForce 2 has received great success since its launch this spring,” said Amelie Clement, senior brand manager, JoWooD Productions. “SpellForce 2 – Dragon Storm is the perfect extension to the popular series. We are convinced that this new part of SpellForce, which awakes the most dreaded creatures, will be a very special highlight for the community and will guarantee many hours of game fun.”

SpellForce 2 – Dragon Storm takes players through a fascinating and exciting challenge as they fight for the magical portals, which seem to be the only connection between the shattered islands of Eo. During the search for the font, which could replace the dwindling energy and save the magical portals, the player recovers old runes and amazing traces of the most powerful creatures of the past: dragons…

Experience the ultimate battle when dragons wage a war!