Rock, Paper, Shotgun

I enjoy posting this immediately after Jim’s last post on the future of modding. Paradox have just released the For The Glory demo, based on their Europa Universalis game. Which is expected. Except despite them having released Europa Universalis III, this is a standalone game covering 400 (Count ‘em!) years of history based on the Europa Universalis II engine. Crikey. The mod link is that it’s based on the AGCEEP mod, which I’ll admit I have even less experience with than Europa Universalis itself. And when I’ve never played Europa Universalis, I’m not even sure that’s possible. Still – 10,000 historical events. Crikey! Crikey! Anyway – demo’s here and the full version can be bought here. Oh – and a video!
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Some rather juddery in-game footage from Fort Zombie has been released by publishers Paradox Interactive, and you can check it out below. We talked to Kerberos, the creators of the forthcoming zombie action-RPG (and 4X classive Sword Of The Stars before that), about their plans in this brains-filled interview. The game will apparently be available on digital distribution portals on October 30th, for just $10.

EDIT: Devs release another video!
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A cryptic triptych of expansions has been announced for Paradox’s shiny fantasy strategy, Elven Legacy. Cleverly, they’ll be known as “the Elven Legacy Trilogy” and be released over the coming three months. They will cost $10 each via digital download magicks. Ranger, the first expansion, is due on October 20th and will feature 16 new campaign missions. Siege follows on November 17th and will contain 19 new campaign missions, and the arc concludes on December 1st with comprise of 15 new mission campaigns. They all include new items for hero characters, new units, and all that jazz. Seems like a bit of an expansion overload to me. Can there possibly be that much demand for more strategic fantasy happenings?

We’ve written quite a bit about Majesty 2 so far. In fact, I’ve also got some review code an internet-click away which I need to have a prod at. But you can circumvent the RPS-information-drip and go and play the bally thing yourself. There’s a 640Mb Demo available to download here. There’s no details I can find what’s in it. Let’s hope it’s actually a demo and not the world’s biggest virus. To get a taste of this indirect-management fantasy-kingdom game, there’s some recent footage video below…
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Mount & Blade is going multiplayer and the beta is in progress as we type. We’ve taken a look at the very specific ramifications for that knight being another actual living person in the unforgiving horse and sword game we love so much. Will you be joining the Warband? Let’s find out.
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First there was Ship Simulator, and now there is Extremes of it. Something like that. Anyway, Paradox Interactive have sent word that the greatest ship-simulation of all time is now even greater, thanks to a new game scheduled to arrive in the harbour of our attentions in early 2010. The new game will once again feature careful navigation of “hovercraft, coast guard interceptors, mammoth tankers, tugs, and cruise liners” as you travel famous (and obscure) ports around the world while traversing “extreme, and ultra-realistic weather conditions.” Still no full-physics destruction model though, which I think would make it.

Nonetheless I’ll say it now: next year is hot for ships. (Trailer below decks, of course.)
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One of our Unknown Pleasures for 2009, Majesty 2 once again makes our heart happy with their latest trailer. It’s done in the style of an 80s made-for-TV serial. It also features an impressive technical feat by creating a soundtrack which sounds identical to Dallas, but probably not in a legally infringing way. You’ll find it below…
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Two historical strategies in a single day? Perhaps not unprecedented, but certainly unusual. What’s particularly unusual is they both have something of a nautical theme, East India Company is particularly focused on the high seas, and offers splendid-looking 18th century sailboat gun action between bouts of management. We have to wonder whether it’ll trounce Empire: Total War’s ship-to-ship combat, or come in a barnacled second. The game is set for a July 28th release, and if you want to keep up with the design chatter then they’ve been keeping a rather detailed development blog. Now I must get back to Arma II, there be a reviewin’ brewin’.
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“Grand strategy” is a sub-genre title that always amuses me. I can’t help but picture someone playing Command & Conquer whilst wearing a ceremonial robe and crown, or Dawn of War on a 300″ monitor. Slightly disappointingly, it’s a different kind of grandiose it refers to – playing as an entire nation, seeing only the big picture and rarely the individual soldiers. Total War’s strategy map is a good example. The Hearts of Iron series is all about that uber-bird-eye’s view, with the upcoming HoI III handing you the reigns of practically any nation during 1936-1948. Dates you may recognise as covering a period of modern history that there almost no videogames about. Perhaps even none.

Yes, it’s flippin’ Dubya Dubya Too, but a version of it in which you could take over the world with Costa Rica, or plot revenge against the Nazis as the Polish government in exile. While clearly it’s fatted with a frightnening amount of historical accuracy, it’s also a giant What If? sandbox.
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What’s better than a new video? Two new videos. What’s better than two new videos? Three new videos. What’s better than three new videos? Four new videos. However, if you go any higher than that it loops around and becomes rubbish again, so it’s lucky Paradox stopped there when choosing to release a new mass of footage of RPS-Unknown-Pleasure Majesty 2. You’ll find it below the hut, complete with Paradox’s video titles.
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