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Monday, December 8, 2008 Shipping Announcements

by Rainier on Dec. 8, 2008 @ 11:18 a.m. PST

Another day, another batch of games shipped to stores. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are announcements for:

Defense Grid: The Awakening (PC)

Defense Grid: The Awakening features beautiful closed and open-map environments, spectacular effects, a linear storyline and a dynamic, engaging soundtrack. The controls are intuitive and the gameplay is deep, making the game accessible to all levels of players while giving the more hardcore player advanced strategic challenges through game achievements and rewards.

Key Features :

  • 20 Unique Levels. Defense Grid: The Awakening has 20 unique environments, each with a different placement of roads, tower build locations, and a mixture of open and closed-path areas to plan a strategy around. Each level encourages a different strategy, such as trying to find an optimal path to redirect enemies, making the best use of limited space, and breaking up individual enemy waves to avoid being overwhelmed, all while planning ahead for future waves.
  • Wide Variety of Enemies. Over the course of the game, players battle 15 different enemy types that become increasingly stronger and employ a variety of strategies in an attempt to bypass the player’s defenses. Some enemies come in large groups, or are individually strong. As the levels progress, the enemies become tougher and more difficult to defeat.
  • Numerous Tower Options and Upgrades. There are 10 different tower types with 3 levels of upgrade for each. Each tower has unique tradeoffs that affect ideal placement, such as line-of-sight attack or ballistic trajectory fire; a large area of effect or damage over time; minimum and maximum ranges. Some towers improve other nearby towers’ attacks, and some are ideal at specific locations, such as a rear guard tower set at a map’s exit that will unleash a devastating attack if it has time to charge up.
  • Excellent Game Balance, Pace and Progression. Initially the path of the enemies is clearly defined, and the player chooses which towers to spend their resources on to optimally overcome the enemy forces. The player gains access to a wide variety of towers, each with a unique effect, and can even divert the enemies by using the towers as obstacles. In the later levels, there are multiple power core sites to protect and entrance points to defend against, and how the player reroutes the enemy invasion can be critical to success.
  • High Replayability There are 8+ hours of gameplay in the main storyline, and dozens of hours of challenge modes that give players unique starting conditions and objectives. Each game level is very replayable, and can be solved in many different ways, with increasing rewards for improved efficiency.
  • Difficulty Achievements: Successfully completing each level provides a bronze achievement award. Additional goals such as "complete the level with all power cores remaining” or "finish the level with more than 2,000 remaining resources" provide silver and gold accomplishments for a particular level. A novice player may be able to survive the onslaught, but only an experienced player will be able to get all of the gold achievements.
  • Players can purchase this unique spin on tower defense gameplay for $19.99 at http://store.steampowered.com/app/18500/ and at http://www.direct2drive.com/7399/product/Buy-Defense-Grid:-The-Awakening.

Players can purchase this unique spin on tower defense gameplay for $19.99 on Steam or Direct2Drive.

Steel Fury: Kharkov 1942 (PC)

Do not wait any longer and plunge yourself into the monstrous roars of tanks and blaring sounds of war in the realistic tank simulation world of Steel Fury: Kharkov 1942, recreated from archives and photo references of the real-life events that took place during the World War II from May 12 to 28 in 1942.

Steel Fury: Kharkov 1942 is based on real-life events that took place from May 12 to 28, 1942, which engaged the Red Army in the fight of their lives. During a vicious German counterattack that began on May 17, 1942, three Soviet Armies were surrounded and were forced to fight in what has become known as the “meat grinder." Through the monstrous roar of tanks and military vehicles, and the blaring sounds of war, players will experience bitterness at the loss of their comrades during battle and elation when they are victorious.

Key Features :

  • Historical Authenticity: Missions are based on true historical events recreated from archives and photo references, including the interiors and exteriors of vehicles and tactical markings. The player has access to vast battlefields without obstructions from impenetrable forests or other obstacles, allowing them to choose any path available to achieve victory!
  • Fear and Fury Filled Missions: Throughout 30 playable missions in three unique single-player campaigns, experience large scale battles with numerous active vehicles.
  • Vehicles: Interact with and command all units involved in the advance against the enemy, including: more than 40 different realistically modelled vehicles, with three playable tanks: T-34/76 mod. 1941, Mk.II ‘Matilda’ III, and the Pz. IV Ausf. F2.
  • Take Full Control: In first and third person views, assume crew positions for Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver, and Hull Gunner.
  • Realistic Game Physics: The advanced game engine allows for precise calculation of ballistics and collisions models. Objects can be destroyed and the terrain is deformable. Both player and AI controlled vehicles are subject to realistic physics.
  • Realistic Environments: The game engine supports dynamic lighting, featuring night-time missions and different weather conditions. The engine's particle system allows for realistic smoke and water effects, as well as debris from explosions.
  • Damage Model: Everything in the path of a tank-round can be destroyed. Vehicles can damage buildings and knock down trees. Due to the advanced game engine, impacting shells create craters and trenches take damage when tanks run over them, deforming the terrain.
  • Difficulty Levels: Players can adjust the level of complexity the game offers. Missions gradually raise the difficulty level by introducing more vehicles, troops, and harder to achieve mission goals. Thanks to training missions, the player can easily learn how to control their tank and supporting AI troops from all crew positions.
  • Editors and Utilities: Players have the ability to create custom missions and make modifications. Easy-to-use editors make it possible to add new vehicles and weapons to the game.

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