Strategy

Battle vs. Chess Moves to Retail

Submitted by Scott Tortorice on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 19:56

SouthPeak Games today announced that its inventive strategy game Battle vs. Chess will ship to retailers on September 28, 2010. Developed by TopWare Interactive and Gaijin Entertainment, Battle vs. Chess redefines what chess is and can be. Although the ‘classic’ game of chess remains at the core of the game, players will experience not only the pieces on the board coming to life through fantastic animation in a battle between darkness and light, but also innovative new game modes, puzzles and story-driven campaigns. These twists offer players a range of challenges delivering a strategy game experience like no other.

Starcraft II Breaks 3 Million Mark

Submitted by Scott Tortorice on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 19:45

Strategy
PC

Blizzard today announced that StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty has sold over 3 million copies worldwide in the first month of its release, building on the game’s momentum as the bestselling PC game of 2010 and the fastest-selling real-time strategy game of all time.*

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty was released simultaneously in North America, Europe, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on July 27. With day-one sales topping 1 million copies, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty became the bestselling PC game of 2010 within its first 24 hours of availability. The game went on to sell more than 1.5 million copies in its first 48 hours, setting the record for fastest-selling strategy game of all time, and has won numerous critical accolades, including multiple editor’s choice awards from major gaming publications.

BBC Battlefield Academy

Submitted by Scott Tortorice on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 21:46

Wargaming can be an off-putting genre. Intricate details, layers of acronyms, manuals as thick as phone books – it can all make for an overwhelming experience for the gamer seeking something more realistic than that found in more mainstream, combat-oriented titles. Unfortunately, the simplification that is necessary for the green wargamer is what usually turns off the more experienced grognard. As such, striking the right balance between the two camps is no mean feat, doubly-so when dealing with a topic as complex as World War II.

Enter Slitherine. This plucky UK developer has always enjoyed a natural talent at producing titles that manage to distill the essence of wargaming into something enjoyable by a wide audience of gamers. Their latest offering, BBC Battlefield Academy, is yet another attempt to work their magic. Taking a concept first devised by the BBC, and partnering with military historian John Buckley, Battlefield Academy is a turn-based game that attempts to put a smile on wargamers of all ranks. Does it succeed? Read on.

The Color of War

BBC Battlefield Academy

Submitted by Scott Tortorice on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 21:38

Strategy

Approachable, absorbing and visually impressive yet detailed, Battlefield Academy aims to revolutionise the strategy games market with a blend of intuitive design and compelling game play driven by cutting edge technical innovation.

Inspired by an original online game concept devised by the BBC, the game has more than 30 battles in a range of theatres of war from the North African desert through D-Day to the to the snowy Ardennes mountains where the Allies battled to repel the final German offensive.

The team at Slitherine worked with Professor John Buckley, Military Historian at the University of Wolverhampton and a keen wargamer himself, to make sure that the strategy, tactics, scenarios and available firepower of the battles fought in WW2 were turned into realistic AI behaviour, powering expertly crafted battles.

The game engine is also completely script-driven, allowing players to create their own missions and scenario in a simple and effective way.

The revolutionary server-based Play by E-Mail Slitherine system completes the package, for a gaming experience that will certainly please both hard core wargamers and newcomers.

Scourge of War: Gettysburg Patched

Submitted by Scott Tortorice on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 20:09

Strategy
PC

Norb Software Development has announced that the first official software patch for "Scourge of War - Gettysburg" has been released. The patch brings the game to version 1.10. This patch repairs a number of minor bugs and adds some new features to the game. Among these are:

- A new map called Alpine. This map is four times the size of the previous maps and has some interesting and hilly terrain. An excellent map for multi-corps battles.
- A number of improvements to the multiplayer experience.
- Three changes on the Gettysburg maps to improve historical accuracy.
- The addition of the first tutorial to the demo.
- Improved courier system for sending and receiving orders.
- Expanded modding capabilities.
- Improved artillery accuracy and behavior.
- Significantly improved game sounds.
- Improved performance in the historical scenarios and in Sandbox games.
- Additional improvements to enhance the ability of the AI to beat you like a drum.
- In total, there are over 110 total new features and bug fixes for the game.

The demo version available on the Scourge of War website at: http://www.scourgeofwar.com/downloads.shtml is now at version 1.10.

Decisive Campaigns: The Blitzkrieg from Warsaw to Paris Now Available

Submitted by Scott Tortorice on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 20:00

Strategy
PC

Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) and VR Designs (www.vrdesigns.nl) today announced that their WWII operational-level wargame, Decisive Campaigns: The Blitzkrieg from Warsaw to Paris is now available for purchase. In this debut release of a major new wargame series, players can experience the same tough strategic decisions and intense operational-level fighting as the leaders of historical operations like Case White, Case Yellow, and the hypothetical Operation Sealion.

To celebrate the new release, we’ve released another pack of screenshots to go alongside the new After Action Report and Developer’s Notes available on The Wargamer. We recommend looking through all of these for more info about The Blitzkrieg from Warsaw to Paris.

Mount & Blade: Warband Unveils New DLC and Achievements

Submitted by Scott Tortorice on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 19:49

Taleworlds Entertainment and Paradox Interactive today announced the release of a free new DLC for their action packed RPG, Mount & Blade: Warband. In addition to the free DLC, over 70 new achievements have been introduced. The combination of the new DLC and achievements adds even more value to the already expansive experience that is Mount & Blade: Warband.

Explore three new maps in the new DLC. Fight your way through a multi-level forest encampment and experience conquest mode likes never before in the Forest Hideout or take on new thrills in siege warfare by sending players to the desert to take or defend Jamait Castle. If you think you have what it takes to stand out in dual mode, prove it in The Arena; this large coliseum is the perfect place to handle disputes the old fashioned way. The DLC is available for all gamers who have purchased Mount & Blade: Warband.

Close Combat – Cross of Iron Is Updated

Submitted by Scott Tortorice on Wed, 08/25/2010 - 15:43

Strategy
PC

Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) and Strategy 3 Tactics have announced the release of the comprehensive 3.50.01 for their acclaimed Close Combat remake, Close Combat – Cross of Iron. The update comes with a handful of bug fixes, over a dozen recoded maps that handle walls and obstructions with improved coding conventions, improved and updated support for multiplayer features, and more.

David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said ”Close Combat – Cross of Iron is a spectacular way to experience the intense fighting on the Eastern Front. The replayability, ease of use, and robust multiplayer community give Cross of Iron the makings of a classic!”