Considered on of the best nautical simulations, Virtual Skipper is back with a new edition dedicated to the most prestigious sailing competition, America’s Cup.

In 32nd America’s Cup players will have to choose between 11 available challengers, win the Louis Vuitton Cup, where you’ll compete against all the boats in the competition and thus win the chance to participate in America’s Cup. By doing this you will also be able to challenge Alinghi, the current holder of the trophy.

Players will have the chance to navigate four types of boats, each with their own different characteristics, on a very realistic sea(that’s what they say, we’ll see).The racers will compete in water courses like Valencia, Trapani, Marseille, Malmo as well as other famous sailing locations.

The game includes a powerful editor that allows players to create their own courses and regattas, to make for an unlimited gameplay fun.

Game features:

• 3D regatta simulation: the ultimate in computer sailing simulations.
• At any level, enjoy the game to its fullest with the four game modes suitable for beginners or seasoned navigators (arcade, tactical, simulation and “no rules”).
• A vast single player game with the highlight of a campaign dedicated to the America’s Cup.
• Skipper the 12 official boats of the America’s Cup, along with the Trimaran Open 60, the Offshore Racer and the Melges 24.
• Navigate the 14 legendary water courses, including Valencia, Marseille, Trapani and Malmö, official sites of the America’s Cup. Discover the prime locations for competitive sailing such as San Francisco, Sydney, Porto Cervo, Auckland, Vancouver, the Isle of Wight, Quiberon and even Qingdao.
• Including the famous Nadeo editors: Water course editor and MediaTracker (cameras, text and graphics).
• Multiplayer game (LAN and Internet), with world player rankings on the Internet.

I consider this The Return of the RTS King because the C&C series, from my point of view, is the best strategy game ever made…and plus KANE IS BACK!!!

Ever since I heard EA started working on Tiberium Wars I knew they were going to come up with a good, solid game but I have to say that they exceeded even my high expectations. Command&Conquer 3 is definitely one of the best RTS games in recent history.

<-120x240 Vertical Banner - right->Frankly I don’t even know where to start, there are just so many things to say about this digital masterpiece. In the single player mode you’ll be able to choose between the GDI campaign and the NOD campaign, both of which are very well structured and offer the same storyline from opposing viewpoints. The action takes place in a time when tiberium deposits have spread to the point where there are just few safe areas left. This doesn’t only mean the environment has gone straight to hell but also a war-torn world, for he who controls tiberium controls the future. The twist in the plot is represented by the Scrin, an alien race who invades Earth in search of tiberium.

Unfortunately you won’t be able to play as the Scrin in the campaigns, but you can enjoy this original and unusual faction in skirmishes and multiplayer battles. The campaign missions are very varied, you’ll need not only obliterate your enemy or defend, but also some bonus objectives like capturing buildings, taking out enemy defenses, prevent them from launching nukes, teaming up with arch enemies to defend against the alien invasion…one thing is foe certain, you won’t be bored.

The AI in C&C 3 is very resourceful and it will exploit your every weakness. Now you won’t realize this in the beginning but after the first two acts you’ll really have to come up with some kind of strategy to triumph over your foe. You won’t be able to keep attackers at bay just by building one powerful unit type or two because every unit(and I mean EVERY UNIT) has a weakness. Also players with a more defensive approach will have to rethink their strategy because the action in this game is lightning fast and it won’t allow you to build up an impenetrable fortress, you’ll have to take the action to the enemy as fast as you can.

The battle theaters are very impressive as well, you will travel from Washington DC to North Africa, Eastern Europe and even The Amazon Basin. They are all wonderfully designed with recognizable settings and landmarks that make them seem genuine.

The units look good, especially the Scrin, they are not so varied as in other games of the genre and the upgrades are also few, but meaningful. You’ll be able to increase units’ armor, equip them with jetpacks, equip tanks with better cannons…you know, all the good stuff.

The factions have a different fighting style and this is what makes them unique. The GDI have a very direct approach with their mammoth tanks and juggernauts while the NOD rely on sneaky and stealthy attacks using stealth tanks and viper bombers to infiltrate the enemy base and take him by surprise. Still the two are very balanced and if you master their fighting style you’ll win no mater what side you choose. The Scrin however are a bit unusual. While the ability to gather infinite tiberium without having to build silos might seem appealing they are a very complex race and you have to get used to their units, buildings and upgrades before challenging someone.

But the part where Tiberium Wars really signs is the multiplayer mode. Let’s be honest, this is what any RTS should concentrate most on. And the guys at EA have really outdone themselves with this one. There are almost 25 maps to choose from for up to 8 players…and all have strategically placed tiberium deposits and tiberium nodes that will make for intense battles that you won’t soon forget. The game features leader bords and clan support as well as a feature called Battle Cast which allows you to broadcast your game in real time to anyone who downloads the free Battle Cast client. You can even have a commentator coment the battle byusing the built-in telestrator…brilliant.

The audio is authentic, all the units make specific sounds when they’re given orders and the Scrin make a constant alien-ish noise. The voice acting is also very credible and adds to game intense action. Also the in-game movies are fine touch. Featuring an impressive cast of real life actors, including Hollywood legend Michael Ironside, they make believe you’re a aprt of a multi million dollars blockbuster…and that is no small feat.

C&C 3 is a must play for all RTS fans and should not be missed for any reason. It will keep you busy and satisfied for a long time to come. Weather you’re playing the single player or the multiplayer modes you’ll love it.

A long, long time ago a bunch of guys announced they were working on a game that would change gaming forever…and it probably would have if it had been released a lot sooner. The name of this game was S.T.A.L.K.E.R …and it’s finally here…thank God.

Even after all these years these game is still very impressive, especially the open world ready for you to explore. In my opinion this is S.T.A.L.K.E.R.’s strongpoint. I don’t think I’ve ever played that made me feel as free.

<-250x250 Square - left->In S.T.A.L.K.E.R. you play as The Marked One a mysterious scavenger suffering from amnesia who is trying to find out who he is and what he was meant to do before the accident that caused his loss of memory. To do this he must reach the center of the exclusion zone, a place surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear plant that in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.’s fictional world suffered a second explosion in 1989 creating all sorts of weird phenomena and causing mutations to all life in the area. The center of The Zone is Chernobyl itself.

Unlike other survival shooters in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. you have to worry about more than shooting your way through hordes of enemies…I mean you’ll do that too but you’ll also have to learn how to master your weapons and scavenge through fallen enemies’ bodies for ammo, med kits and other useful stuff that can help you survive in a world where danger is everywhere. You’ll have access to a large array of weapons(this IS a shooter),mainly shotguns, machineguns and pistols…and learning to use them wisely might just save your ass when it most needs saving. You wont be able to fire all you have at your enemies ‘cause this way it’s going to be a mighty short ride. Enemies adapt to the surroundings hiding behind walls or trees and trying to find a way to pop up behind you and blow you away…and before you know it you’re dead. And the unarmed critters aren’t particularly easy to kill either, some will race toward you with lightning speed and others just die hard(Bruce Willis doesn’t star in this game). So…stay calm, conserve your ammo and try to shoot for the head. The AI is definitely superior to other games of the genre and this adds immensely to the game’s overall value.

The complex world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. offers many types of characters to interact with, from the other stalkers scattered through the zone to all the faction members that you can join to take part in large scale battles that give this game a more realistic feel. And of course all the other mutants, crawling creatures some kind of zombies and ghosts give the game its horror feel.

The multiplayer mode is pretty fun as well, it offers the traditional death-match, team death-match and a capture the flag mode called Artifact Hunt. For every kill, you get some cash that you can use weapons, ammo or equipment.

As far as graphics are concerned S.T.A.L.K.E.R. looks extremely good, even though as we all know it’s been in development for a few years now so personally I thought it would look outdated and old. But it holds its own against most of today’s top games and that is to be admired. Especially because it manages to make such a vast and complex world look so real and even enjoyable to look at. Everything changes so naturally…it starts raining, it gets dark…everything seems so real and alive…you just have to see it to believe it.

I’d like to end by saying that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. met my expectations despite the loooong wait and I strongly recommend you at least try it…as long as you’re not one of those Rambo kind of guys who like to mindlessly push the trigger.

Strategy First Inc. and Swedish game developer Frictional Games announced that Penumbra: Overture is now available for digital download online.

Penumbra is a very original first person survival horror/adventure game that uses advanced physics interaction. The game focuses more on puzzles and exploration rather than on combat as the main gameplay. This means you’ll have to use your wits to defeat your opponents instead of brute force.

In Penumbra you’ll play as Phillip a man looking for his presumed dead father who,in his search uncovers a dark and dangerous world. Trapped in an underground complex beneath Greenland’s icy wastelands, Philip struggles to survive and keep his sanity.

Game features:

• Dynamic lighting and shadows
• Next-generation graphical features such as Motion blur and Depth of Field
• Innovative physical interaction system
• Dynamic music handler / mixer
• Advanced AI with an ability to sense its surroundings.
• Environmental sound system using physics to mix realistic sounds.
• Detailed and atmospheric environments.
• State of the art interaction system.
• Thrilling blend of puzzles and action, with various solutions.
• Dark secrets to be discovered.
• Over 8 hours of gameplay

2K Games announced that a second expansion pack for the acclaimed Civilizations IV series will be available in June 2007.

Beyond the sword will focus on late-game time periods, after the invention of gunpowder, it will offer 12 new scenarios created by the Fireaxis Games team as well as by members of the Civilizations Fan Community, it will include ten new civilizations, 16 new leaders, five new wonders as well as a considerable number of new units.

New features:
• Expanded Epic Game: Firaxis Games delivers a massive increase in new units, buildings, and technologies to the epic game with additional focus on the late-game time periods.
• New Game Scenarios: The expansion will deliver 12 new scenarios, many containing themes never before included in the Civilization series, custom designed by the team at Firaxis and select members of the Civ Fan Community.
• New Civilizations: The expansion pack includes ten new civilizations, such as Portugal, Babylon and Netherlands and their associated unique units and buildings.
• More Civilization Leaders: Sixteen new leaders including leaders for the ten new civilizations, as well as additional leaders for existing civilizations.
• Corporations: A new gameplay feature that allows players to create corporations and spread them throughout the world. Each corporation provides benefits in exchange for certain resources.
• Espionage: Now available much earlier in the game, this expanded feature offers players many new ways to spy on opponents, stir citizen unrest and defend their government's secrets.
• Events: New random events such as natural disasters, pleas for help, or demands from their citizens will challenge players to overcome obstacles in order for their civilizations to prosper.
• New Wonders: Five new wonders await discovery including the Statue of Zeus, Cristo Redentor, Shwedagon Paya, the Mausoleum of Maussollos, and the Moai Statues.
• Expanded Space Victory: Winning the race to Alpha Centauri will now require more strategic planning and tactical decision making.
• Apostolic Palace: The United Nations will become available earlier in the game, providing a way for players to win a diplomatic victory earlier. New resolutions will also be added which will expand the available diplomatic options.
• Advanced Starts: A major fan request, this new feature will enable players to "buy" components of a custom-tailored empire and begin play in the later part of the game, allowing them to experience many of the new features of the expansion pack in a shorter amount of time.
• Enhanced AI: The AI has received many enhancements, making it tougher to beat on the higher difficulty levels. The ways in which the AI will attempt to achieve victory have also been expanded.

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