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Galactic Civilizations II: The Dark Avatar (Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar)

Jan 2, 2007

It takes a while to separate the new stuff in Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords from the really new stuff in the Dark Avatar expansion pack. Stardock has been continually improving the core game since its release, so if you havent played it for a while, you might not be sure where to draw the line between “update” and ...

Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar expansion (Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar)

Oct 10, 2006

When we last left the Galactic Civilizations universe, the evil Drengin Empire just about had everything - and everyone - rolled up. So, at the start of the upcoming strategy expansion pack, called Dark Avatar, the Drengin reign over the galaxy is so complete that their worst enemy is now from within. In-fighting has split their grip on the empire, and the most powerful faction, the Korath, now demand the extermination of all non-Drengin races. You are the Dark Avatar, chief of the Drengin ...

Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor (Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor)

Sep 19, 2007

Sept 19, 2007 You won't find any big breasted babes or recycled Warcraft-in-space gameplay here for mass appeal's sake. Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor sticks to what the series does best with deep 4X turn-based space strategy and more technology to research, ships to build, and planets to conquer. But try explaining how Galactic Civilizations can mesmerize you with menus and endless branches of tech, and the person you're talking too will probably walk away mid-sentence. ...

Galaga - Xbox Live Arcade (Galaga - Xbox Live Arcade)

Jul 3, 2006

Joining the growing multitude of Xbox Live Arcade games is another classic from the past, Galaga features wave after wave of unpredictably descending insectoid invaders that twirl and shoot at your weakly armed starfighter. It's up to you to blast the creeps into nothingness using only two bullets at a time (you have to wait until your shots leave the screen before you can fire again). Intensely frustrating, this game represents the epitome of the old school arcade concept of never allowing the ...

Medal of Honor European Assault (Gamecube)

Apr 27, 2005

When was the last time you got really psyched up about the release of a new Medal of Honor title? It's been a while, right? The series hasn't been on top form for quite some time. But according to EA, that's about to change. They reckon European Assault is a major step forward and a massive improvement on its lacklustre predecessors.Still, don't expect a groundbreaking storyline. This time you're William Holt, an agent of the Office of Strategic Services (the organisation that was later to ...

Gangs of London hands-on (Gangs of London)

Jul 24, 2006

We've taken it for a spin once before, but we recently got a more in-depth look at Gangs of London, the driving/shooting spinoff of the British car-crime epic The Getaway. The new, portable game is soaked in the same Cockney flair as its console cousin, but as we quickly found out, this is more than just another Grand Theft Autoclone. Rather than two or three anti-heroes, Gangs of London focuses on five different gangs battling for control of London: the Morris Kane Firm (old-school English ...

E3 06: Gangs of London hands-on (Gangs of London)

May 12, 2006

You wouldn't know it from the title, but publisher Sony's upcoming drive-and-shoot crime actioner Gangs of London is actually descended from The Getaway, Sony's GTA -style action series for PS2. This time, however, the developers have done away with the pretense of playing as the good guys - instead of trying to clean up the streets, you're the ones doing the terrorizing. Actually, yes - that does say "ones" - it's plural. You don't just play as a single character. In fact, at any given ...

E3 06: Gangs of London hands-on (Gangs of London)

May 10, 2006

You wouldn't know it from the title, but publisher Sony's upcoming drive-and-shoot crime actioner Gangs of London is actually descended from The Getaway, Sony's GTA-style action series for PS2. This time, however, the developers have done away with the pretense of playing as the good guys - instead of trying to clean up the streets, you're the ones doing the terrorizing. Actually, yes - that does say "ones" - it's plural. You don't just play as a single character. In fact, at any given moment, ...

Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows (Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows)

Feb 28, 2006

Four warriors on an epic and mighty quest. Four Warriors once wronged by a desperate King who committed seven deadly sorrows. Four warriors freed to put right what once went wrong. Four warriors to redeem the King, save his soul, and the entire world. And four warriors to hack and slash and mash their way through hundreds of thousands of enemies. Again. And again. And over and over again. Hang on, we know just the boys you're looking for... Yep, Gauntlet's story might have had a bit of spit ...

Gears of War - hands-on (Gears of War)

Oct 26, 2007

Oct 26, 2007 We're playing the Gears of War PC's new King of the Hill mode, which has just seen four other players kill each other viciously from behind one after another in a hilarious cartoon chain of death. As the legendary lead designer CliffyB said to me earlier in the day, the new multiplayer game is indeed, "f---ing hilarious." Gears of War has shifted over four million copies on Xbox 360 alone, won countless Game of the Year awards and become one of the most popular online shooters of ...

E3 07: Gears of War - hands-on (Gears of War)

Jul 12, 2007

It's been about 8 months since Gears of War's orgiastic celebration of blood, guts, and in-your-face visceral gameplay upped the ante for shooters when it debuted on the Xbox 360. This week, game designer Cliff Bleszinski finally acknowledged what gamers have been expecting for quite some time, that Gears of War would be blasting its way to the PC. This holiday season, both XP and Vista users can look forward to five new chapters added to the story mode, a new multiplayer mode, and 3 new maps. ...

Us versus them (Gears of War)

Oct 6, 2006

Finally, after months of reading about what our trusted brothers across the pond had to say about Gears of War multiplayer, we got the chance to saw through some chumps of our own. At a special fan event held by Microsoft at theaters around the country, we were forced to sit through The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (which sucked in a hugely gory, but wholly-rehashed-horror-movie-we've-seen-a-million-times-before way). After the film, however, Microsoft redeemed itself spectacularly by ...

Gears of War - X06 hands-on (Gears of War)

Sep 28, 2006

We stole the chance to play Gears of War at the X06 event at Barcelona, and our playtime reinforced two things: this game is destined to be a system-seller, and it's time for Microsoft to show us something beyond the first level. The game at X06 was shown in three different set ups: single player, two-player co-op and a 4-on-4 multiplayer match. The single player demo consisted of the same starting level we had played before at E3 and in Leipzig, which introduces ex-con Marcus Fenix as he ...

E3 06: Gears of War: Multiplayer hands-on (Gears of War)

May 12, 2006

After gushing over Microsoft's demo of Gears of War yesterday - it's one of the most exciting shooters we've seen for ages - today we finally came to grips with the game by bashing out some multiplayer action. Shepherded into a special room by Microsoft, away from the mad bustle of the E3 shop floor, we were set up in a 4-vs-4 deathmatch. And we kicked ass. Developer Epic calls Gears of War a "stop and pop" game, because of the huge emphasis on taking cover from a constant stream of attacks. ...

E3 06: Gears of War shapes up (Gears of War)

May 11, 2006

Microsoft has released a new gameplay video and shots of Gears of War, its dynamic new shoot-'em-up for Xbox 360. The new video shows how the use of cover is vital for surviving any confrontation with the Locust Horder - a race of creatures that have emerged from the center of the Earth with the destruction of mankind firmly on their agenda. The footage also illustrates the incredible detail in the design of Marcus Fenix, the lantern jawed war hero that is leading the human assault on the ...

E3 06: Gears of War hands-on (Gears of War)

May 11, 2006

Is sci-fi Xbox 360 shooter Gears of War the next Halo (before Halo 3, anyway)? If our hands-on time with the game in a team deathmatch is any indication, we'd have to say “hell yes.” In a special, extra-large room of its E3 pavilion, Microsoft dropped players into 4-on-4 matches between the human Cog faction and the alien Locust Horde. Play was round-based, like Counter-Strike; the match wasn't over until one whole team's forces had been eliminated. Players on both teams used the ...

E3 06: Gears of War in motion (Gears of War)

May 11, 2006

While attending Microsofts pre-E3 conference, we were treated to a demo of Gears of War, the staggeringly attractive 360 shooter. Its odds-on to become the most exciting game of the year for Microsofts next-gen hardware - just take a look at these new screens to check the games impressive form for yourself. Set on a ruined, alien-infested Earth, Gears of War is an all-out bullet-buffet. The heavy focus on combat stresses rigorous use of cover, with enemies constantly pouring fire into your ...

Gears of War (Gears of War)

Feb 23, 2006

What will the future of tactical shooters bring? Gears of War knows the answer: pain. Gears of War puts you just over the right shoulder (third person style) of former soldier Marcus Fenix. Marcus has been brought out of "retirement" (a polite way of saying "sprung from prison") so that he and his crew can battle the Locust Horde, a bizarre army of monstrosities that have clawed their way out of the underground in order to eat people and destroy their stuff. Unsettling, yeah...but what's so ...

Gears of War (Gears of War)

Feb 15, 2006

Truth is, developer Epic is still keeping Gears of War wrapped up tighter than Michelle Marsh in a cling film dress. But brand new information on one of next year's hottest 360 games hasn't been impossible to find. Not by a long shot. So it's time to tear this tasty shooter apart even more. First up, missions. We've already seen three extraordinary levels: the first was set inside the ruins of what looked like a temple; the second was under cover of darkness and involved an approach to a ...

Horde: Gears of War 2's most exciting multiplayer addition (Gears of War 2)

Sep 29, 2008

We've had five hours with Gears 2's most exciting new multi-player mode. Here's how it went down... ...