Stranger was suppose to hit shelves on March 3rd, but word coming straight from cdv this morning states that the RTS/RPG will be released on March 17th instead. To make up for it, or just for the fun of it, they sent us some new screens of the game.

In other cdv news, just in case you are interested, in the same announcement they also mentioned the following release dates for some more of their games.

• Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory (PC)- March 24
• Sacred 2: Fallen Angel (PC, Xbox 360) – September (tba)
• Theatre of War (PC) – May 12

For more information on Stranger, check out our previous posts.

More Screens Here

If you were hoping to cackle maniacally each time your opponents fall victim to your banana peel in Mario Kart Wii (I sure was), you’ll have to do it with a lack of voice chat. New details on the game have revealed the game’s methods for allowing players to communicate with one another aren’t the most sophisticated options you can imagine.

In addition to a lack of voice chat, the game’s text chat won’t even allow you to send custom messages to your friends (no talking with strangers!). Instead, you’ll choose from a set of predefined words to converse. That’d be fine if it were an option, but as the only way to talk? Not very friendly.

And that of course means no chatting mid-game – so in no way, shape or form will you be able to grief your competition over the aforementioned banana peel. (Unless you’re willing to drop your Wiimote, pick up a phone and call your friend, in which case I’d like to shake your hand.)

Anything to keep the child predators away, I guess.

via Game|Life

I have been playing The Lord of the Rings Online: The Shadows of Angmar for a few weeks now, and I have had ample time to run across some very interesting people during my adventures in Middle-earth. While I have to say that the majority of them are great folks who go out of their way to help each other out there are some that are more vexatious than others.

I am sure there are many different forms of annoyances caused by other players that I have yet to come into contact with, but if you have played MMOs in the past or are currently grinding your way through one, you should be familiar with the simpletons of which I speak. One of whom is the QUEST STEALER

Ah yes, the exasperating Quest Stealer. He is the guy who follows you through the cave full of spiders that you are fighting your way through, clearing every biting nemesis from his path for him without any effort. He stands behind you, waiting for you to vanquish the foes, and just when it comes time to beat the quest monster – a big fat ugly spider with poison dripping from her mandibles – he suddenly rushes in like Rambo without a jockstrap and kills her. Mind you, this guy was not invited on the quest with you he is just a straggler who happens to need the same one as you and has let you do all of the work for him without you even realizing it. Then, he so graciously departs your company after committing such a foul deed, while you wait for the evil beast to respawn so you can finish your quest. Angry, shocked and ready to go PvP on his ignorant ass, you have to contend with your quest’s spider lackeys as THEY respawn. While you fight off these horrid beasts once more, suddenly out of the corner of your eye, your main goal respawns and immediately comes over and kills you where you stand. If it weren’t for the fact that it is socially unacceptable and also because of the fact that your mother would have to see your face plastered on America’s Most Wanted, you would like nothing more than to beat him to the point of paralysis with an etiquette book and your computer mouse.

Read the full article

One of the biggest patches that hit this week was the new LotRO: Shadows of Angmar Book 12, but normally when you log into the game it is an automatic update. For those you who for some reason did not get the update, the European patch was sent to FileFront this week and you can get it by clicking on the link above. Otherwise there is not much else to report in the patches department other than Stranger, Unreal Tournament 3, Combat Mission Shockforce, and FIFA 08. You can get these patches and more by visiting this link.

As far as demos are concerned, we received Fashion Boutique, Spaceforce Captains, Avernum, Light of Dreams and a few others that you can see here.

Check back with us next week and hopefully we will have some more.

EA and Image Comics have announced a new comic book series will soon be released based on the upcoming survival horror game, Dead Space. The series will run for six issues and act as a prequel to the game, telling the story of a mining colony in space that accidentally unearths an ancient evil. The comics will be written by Antony Johnston — who currently writes for Wasteland and Texas Strangers — and illustrated by Ben Templesmith — who is known mainly for his work on the 30 Days of Night series. The first issue is set to go on sale on March 3rd, but attendees at WonderCon will be able to get a limited edition of issue #1 with exclusive cover art. Also, the book’s writer and artist will both be available to sign the first issue on February 22 and 23. We’ve also got a couple pages from the comic as well as an interesting trailer that reminds me of a gory, swear-filled version of Reading Rainbow.

Normally I don’t care much about comics based on video games, especially since they usually just rehash the game’s story. But when one of the guys behind 30 Days of Night is involved, that alone can make me take notice.

Via Press Release

Stranger, the new RTS/RPG hybrid PC exclusive from Fireglow Games and cdv Software has gone gold today. The game will begin shipping to North America on March 3. Stranger features a deep magic and enchantment system, and a rich world populated by more than a hundred unique monster types. Players can take control of three characters and enjoy a single-player campaign lasting more than 30 hours, while also being able to take their game online in eight-person Internet multiplayer matches.

As one of three battle-hardened heroes, explore a hostile surface kingdom and mysterious subterranean realm, growing your combat skills and magical abilities. Blade and spell streak across the screen as you duel with slavering beasts and mutant monstrosities, using enchantment and melee systems or mercenaries’ help to defeat opponents. From recruiting ultra-powerful allies to going face-to-face with evil and amassing a arsenal capable of seeing you safely through this epic tale, you’ll need all to meet the challenges which lie within.

For more information on Stranger, check out our previous posts. You can also play the English multiplayer demo of the game by clicking on the badge below.

Via: Press Release  

Coming to the Wii on February 25th is Agatha Christie: And Then There Where None, from The Adventure Company and JoWood. Using the Wii Remote controller, players will use a digging motion to unearth clues, spin the handle of a safe using the Wii Remote and participate in timed puzzles where, for example, players must race up a set of stairs from a boat docked below.

The storyline revolves around ten people, all strangers to each other, who are invited to a lavish estate on an isolated island. Through a recording, their mysterious host accuses each of his ‘guests’ of murder and proceeds to exact justice by becoming judge, jury and executioner… The tension mounts and dark secrets are revealed as one-by-one the number of guests systematically dwindles according to the ingenious plan of the unseen killer.

For more information on And Then There Were None, check out our previous posts and enjoy the trailer.

Finally, after Europe getting their very own copy of Stranger, North America is finally getting theirs. cdv Software announced today that they have entered into an agreement to promote and distribute Fireglow Games’ PC-based fantasy title. Stranger, is set to begin shipping to North American retail stores on March 3.

We have been covering this game for quite some time now, but just in case you have missed our coverage, you will be pleased to know that Stranger combines a blend of traditional real-time strategy and role-playing elements, set in a fantasy world with over one hundred different monsters. You get to choose between one of three available heroes, and when playing the single-player be prepared to spend at least 30 hours exploring and fighting your way through the evil doers. You can also take your game online to compete in eight-person multiplayer matches.

If you would like more information on Stranger, check out our previous posts, the official website, and you can also get the demo by clicking here.

Via: Press Release

It was a busy week for patches on FileFront, and unlike last week, we received more demos this time around. So if you did not get that wonderful game you were hoping Satan Santa would put under the tree for you, you can instead try out some of the demos to whittle away the hours until your local gaming store reopens after the holidays. You never know if something you never thought of trying might actually turn into a game you enjoy.

For the rest of you who are looking for the latest patch for your game, we had plenty arrive this week amongst the higher profile ones like GHIII, Stranger, The Witcher , and World in Conflict. So, pour a glass of spiked eggnog, make yourself of plate of left over pumpkin pie and put on that ugly reindeer sweater your Aunt Patty knitted for you and get to downloading.

Demos:

Dead Wake: Polycount Productions’ Dead Wake is a zombie survival game. The game brings barricades, blood, and weapons to zombie fans with headshots and physics playing a major role. This demo release gives you couple minutes of gameplay, and some clue about what there’s going to be in the game.

Evochron Renegades: StarWraith 3D Games has released an updated demo for Evochron Renegades, a freeform first person 3D space-sim RPG. For a more detailed account of the game, click here.

City Life 2008: A city builder/simulation game set in real-time 3D were players construct megalopolises thriving with life. The demo features one map and 3 out of the 6 playable population categories.

Get the full list of demos here and you can view the full list of patches here.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!

Fireglow Games has released a free Christmas add-on for STRANGER, their RPG / RTS combo game for the PC. For those who have already purchased the game, the add-on contains two new multiplayer maps – “Once upon a Time in Mokkosa” and “Heritage of Muneks”. The add-on is available in English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Polish and Czech and of course you can get the add-on via FileFront. Just click on the badge at the end of this post for the English version, and the link above for other versions.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with STRANGER, you need to check out our previous posts on the game and also need to visit the official website.