New Screenshots

Monte Cristo today released new screenshots from "Cities XL", the upcoming city building simulation game.

"These new screens focus on key in-game elements such as sports stadiums, farms and downtown areas, all of which are important aspects of the gameplay within CITIES XL™ as they help bolster the economies of player-managed cities.

CITIES XL™ allows gamers to develop cities on realistic 3D maps using an incredible collection of unique structures and monuments based on American, Asian and European-influenced architectural styles. The maps feature a variety of environments: mountains, hills, canyons, beaches and islands, all set in different climates from tropical to desert, Mediterranean to temperate. Players must create the right combinations of social services, leisure activities, special events and other job opportunities within their cities in order to feed, clothe, employ and entertain their citizens. Be it planning and building a new zoo, public park, residential neighborhood or transit system – there’s always a fresh and exciting challenge for would-be city managers and mayors in CITIES XL™. "

Paradox and Ino-Co have released new screenshots and several new in-game videos from "Majesty 2: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim", the upcoming real-time strategy sequel.

"What is spied upon yonder horizon?! Could that be a bravura new gameplay trailer full of mirth and joy? And could that also be a fine selection of the most delightfully whimsical screenshots for Majesty 2: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim, the long anticipated PC Fantasy Strategy game developed by the monumental talents at 1C:Ino-Co and released by the legendary creatives of Paradox Interactive?! They very well are and they are here now for your enjoyment!

With nothing else out there quite like it, the world of Majesty 2 is full of charm and a unique sense of humour, and one where the player only has indirect control of the characters and units. Your independent thinking Heroes are just as likely to go shopping as they are to fight monsters and undertake heroic quests! Majesty 2 will make you think in totally new way."

       
       

In-game video clips:

• Majesty2 – Fighting is good for you
• Majesty2 – Build the fantasy city of your dreams
• Majesty2 – Buy the stuff heroes are made off
• Majesty2 – Who said you can’t buy happiness?
• Majesty2 – Make your heroes earn their living

Focus Home Interactive released new "Dungeon Party" screenshots, giving viewers more of a look at the upcoming third-person action multiplayer game that will be released for free and is based on team play.

"Plunge into a wild heroic-fantasy universe and play against each other in teams of heroes across dungeons filled with deadly traps and monsters to try and collect the treasures they hold.

In Dungeon Party you can create and customize your character with different costumes and objects. A holiday-making sorcerer, a thief straight out of a night club, or a gothic hangman…all styles are possible! Each player can equip his character with different objects and weapons before the battle against opponent teams starts.

You’ll have to develop your character through the matches and carefully choose which spells and skills could help the best your team. In order to spice up the game, deadly traps and hunted creatures are scattered throughout the dungeons. These creatures won’t make any difference between the teams and protect their treasures with a lot of zeal. Kill monsters will give you more experience points which allow you to buy faster new spells. Bosses and mini-bosses will be harder to beat but will also give you a greater amount of points and, most of all, will help you to seduce the Chest."

Frogwares today released new screenshots for "World of Battles", the upcoming MMORTS that’s currently in open beta.

"In these images, you will see the Dwarves and the Undead, two of the nine races from the game, preparing for an upcoming battle.

In the medieval universe of World of Battles®, nine races fight a terrible war for world domination. Choose your side, recruit, train and equip units in order to create a powerful army able to face opposing armies created by other players.

Take part in huge battles in order to establish yourself as a warlord and progress in the online World of Battles’®, ranks. Players will be free to connect for quick play and to participate in one of the many official tournaments of World of Battles®.

In the game, you will discover a unique system for customizing your units and soldiers. You’ll be able to personalize the appearance of each one of your soldiers with a very high level of detail. Before launching into your first battles, you’ll need to prepare your troops, because if you don’t, your army will surely take a beating.

Once you’re ready to fight, gameplay switches to real time strategy mode. Take command of your armies and show everyone who’s the greatest warlord in the war-torn battlefields of World of Battles ®. You can also join friends to confront other clans in titanic guild wars in which tactics and teamwork will be essential to become the most powerful army of all.

World of Battles® is free and accessible to all in order to allow everyone to share an intense online gaming experience. World of Battles® has higher technical ambitions than other current free internet games and a significant development budget. The game will be supported through additional services and micro-transactions which will allow players to buy customizations for troops and units.

World of Battles® is currently being developed by Frogwares studio. It will be available online for free in June 2009."

       
 

Frogwares and Focus Home Interactive have released new screenshots from "Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper", giving viewers more of a look at the upcoming adventure sequel.

"In these new screens, the famous English detective is accompanied by the Dr. Watson as they look for clues in the Whithechapel district, which is infamous for being the hunting ground for one of the most atrocious serial killers in history: Jack the Ripper. These new images confirm the oppressive atmosphere of this new adventure, which will be the most frightening episode of the Sherlock Holmes series.

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper allows you to play as the greatest detective of all in the London of 1888. A series of particularly horrible murders creates a real psychosis throughout the country. Atrociously mutilated prostitutes’ bodies are found by the police without them being able to find a serious lead. Sherlock Holmes starts looking for clues in the dark and sinister alleys of Whitechapel in order to follow the macabre trail of the one the press now calls Jack the Ripper. During an adventure full of twists, Sherlock Holmes will try to bring out the true identity and the motives of the one who hides behind this scary alias.

The Sherlock Holmes series is known as one of the best franchises in adventure games and is very popular with around 1.5 million copies sold worldwide. Now, Sherlock Holmes is back with a game that will give a new dimension to the series. Indeed, Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper will offer players two different views that are accessible at any time: a third person view in the purest style used in point & click adventure games, as well as a first person view. The player will be free to play in one or the other modes or even combine them for greater immersion into this terrifying adventure. Another novelty: the player will also find an original crime scene reconstitution system that will allow him to test his theories during his progress in the investigation to follow the bloody trail of the terrifying serial killer.

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper will be released for DVD ROM PC in May of 2009."

       

Microids today released new screenshots and the opening cinematic for "Still Life 2", the upcoming adventure sequel by GameCo.

"In her motel room, Paloma Hernandez, the journalist who covers the crimes of the East Coast Killer for a national television channel, has just finished her phone conversation with FBI agent Vic Mc Pherson, offering her a questionable deal in exchange for exclusivity in the investigation coverage.

That’s when someone knocks on the door… with little caution, Paloma opens and discovers with horror a threatening man wearing a gas mask…"

     
     

THQ released new screenshots and a trailer for "Mafia 2", the upcoming third-person action sequel by Illusion Softworks.

"From the developers of the award-winning Mafia comes Mafia II, a beautifully crafted look into the dark and unforgiving world of the Mob. Expanding upon the original hit that captivated more than 2 million gamers around the world, 2K Czech takes players deeper into the Mafia with a mature and exciting experience that will immerse players like never before.

Powered by 2K Czech’s next-generation engine built specifically for Mafia II, players will experience the true evolution of the Mob game that defined a genre. Gunfights, hand-to-hand combat and vehicular exploration feature new depth and dimension that allow players to experience the world of Mafia II in a way that will keep them coming back for more."

 

New screenshots from "Grand Ages: Rome" have been released, giving viewers more of a look at the upcoming strategy title that will be published by Kalypso in North America.

"Grand Ages: Rome is a stunning strategy game based in Ancient Rome during the rise of Julius Caesar. As a member of a prominent noble family, players will be immersed in the intrigue and adventure of the rising Roman Empire, rubbing shoulders with some of the greatest historical figures of the era. Grand-scale city building and detailed combat scenarios unfold against a backdrop of breathtakingly detailed environments. Players can choose from historical campaign and freestyle game modes along with advanced online multiplayer controls."

       
       
     

Eidos has launched a new community site for for the upcoming naval action game "Battlestations: Pacific", Battlestations.net. The sequel is scheduled to be released this Spring. Along with this announcement, new screenshots and a trailer have been released.

"Sequel to 2007’s critically acclaimed Battlestations: Midway™, Battlestations: Pacific™ picks up where its predecessor left off. Pitching players into the might of World War II’s Pacific conflict, the game delivers intense, action-packed combat and strategic warfare on an extraordinary scale and features two distinctly different single-player campaigns. A historically accurate US Campaign puts players in command of the US fleet through The Battle of Midway to Okinawa as they try to secure peace in the Pacific. Or play as the Japanese and take control of the Imperial Japanese fleet with the unique chance to fight at Pearl Harbor before attempting to change the course of history and take full control of the Pacific Ocean. Players can also take the battle online with an enhanced multiplayer, offering five new and innovative co-op and team-based modes.

“Battlestations offers a blend of action and strategy unlike any other videogame on the market and as such has a dedicated and committed community of fans,” said Lee Singleton, General Manager of Eidos Game Studios. “The launch of Battlestations.net as a destination site for both information and discussion on the game comes as a direct result of listening and interacting with our communities.”

Launched today, the new Battlestations.net site offers a feature-rich destination for information, entertainment and discussion on this anticipated sequel. News, screens and movies on the game will be accompanied by in-depth developer blogs, podcasts, exclusive website competitions and Eidos-hosted Battlestations: Midway™ multiplayer sessions, allowing fans of the game a chance to brush up on their skills before the launch of Battlestations: Pacific™.

Those interested in enlisting can join the discussions at www.battlestations.net."

       
       

Electronic Arts has released details, screenshots, and a trailer for the create-a-sim feature in the upcoming latest installment in the simulation series.

"The all-new Create-A-Sim allows you to completely customize your Sims’ appearances making every Sim unique. The feature is easy-to-use and more powerful than ever, letting you fine-tune every aspect of your Sims’ face, customize their hair color, select the exact shade of their skin tone and determine much more to make lifelike Sims. It’s never been easier to make Sims that are thin, full-figured or muscular and everything in between! In true The Sims fashion, you can customize everything. Additionally, Create – a – Style allows for infinite possibilities to design the interior and exterior of your Sims surroundings, clothes and more."

 

Paradox Interactive has released new screenshots from "Elven Legacy", giving viewers more of a look at the upcoming latest installment in the turn-based strategy series by Ino-Co.

"Elven Legacy is a fantasy strategy game that sends players on an epic quest aimed to restore the former glory of the Elven race. With a thrilling, non-linear storyline and tools that allow players to create their own missions and campaigns and share them in multiplayer mode, Elven Legacy will provide hours of exciting gameplay for strategy fans.

Elven Legacy is scheduled for release in March, 2009 and will be published worldwide by Paradox Interactive. It will be available for digital download at GamersGate for a suggested retail price of $29.99 / €29.99."

       
     

Frogster has released new screenshots from the end of Beta event for "Runes of Magic," the upcoming MMORPG by Runewalker.

"The closed beta phase of Runes of Magic ended on December 10th with a bang. Hundreds of players fought against the conjured up darkness, but it was all in vain: the server went offline until the start of the open beta with the death of all player characters.

Controlled by the community managers Mike Kiefer and Jörg Koonen, the final event of several days duration started on Sunday with the first signs of imminence. In the following days constantly growing hordes of monsters brought mischief over the world of Taborea. Hundreds of adventurers formed battle groups to defend their game world.

In a long and final battle against the community manager’s evil twin avatars in the Ystra Highlands, the decision fell late Wednesday night in favor of the forces of darkness. "We are pleased how well the event was accepted by our community", Mike Kiefer resumed following the event. "The high attendance confirmed, that relying on special ingame events in the future is the way to go."

Even though the forces of evil were victorious for the time being, the chance for revenge is soon to come: The servers that went offline directly following the end of the event will be back online at the open beta start on Monday, December 15th. From Monday on all interested players are invited to participate in the final phase before the release in the first quarter of 2009."

       

Focus Home Interactive and Frogwares have released new screenshots from "World of Battles," the upcoming MMORTS.

"In the medieval universe of World of Battles, nine races fight a terrible war for world domination. Choose your side, recruit, train and equip units in order to create a powerful army able to face opposing armies created by other players.

Take part in huge battles in order to establish yourself as a warlord and progress in the online World of Battles’ ® ranks. Players will be free to connect for quick play or to participate in one of the many official tournaments of World of Battles ®.

In the game, you will discover a unique system for customizing your units and soldiers. You’ll be able to personalize the appearance of each one of your soldiers with a very high level of detail. Before launching into your first battles, you’ll need to prepare your fighting troops, because if you don’t, your army will surely take a beating.

Once you’re ready to fight, gameplay switches to real time strategy mode. Take command of your armies and show everyone who’s the greatest warlord in the war-torn battlefields of World of Battles ®. You can also join friends to confront other clans in titanic guild wars in which tactics and teamwork will be essential to become the most powerful army of all.

World of Battles ® is free and accessible to all in order to allow everyone to share an intense online gaming experience. World of Battles ® has higher technical ambitions than other current free internet games and a significant development budget. The game will be supported through additional services and micro-transactions which will allow players to buy customizations for troops and units.

World of Battles ® is currently being developed by Frogwares studio. It will be available online for free in March 2009."

  

Lighthouse Interactive has released new screenshots from "East India Company," the upcoming strategy game by Nitro Games.

"These screenshots do not only give players a glimpse of both night-time and day-time views, but also of the gameplay at both strategic and tactical levels. Let us not say more, see for yourselves!

Manage, Rule, and Fight! East India Company is scheduled for release across Europe in Q1 2009."

The Digitalmindsoft website has been updated with a new "Men of War" developer diary and new screenshots.

"It passed some time since we posted our last news, however this is not bad at all, since it was mainly caused by the fact that we are eagerly working on new game features, new maps and the polishing of the overall product.

New features like friends and black lists are integrated, a new automatch system will be integrated soon. Optimizing in the AI code has been done, which increases the smoothness of online games."

Read the full developer diary at DigitalMindsoft.