Activision announced today that two of its games were honored at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' Ninth Annual Interactive Achievement Awards Call of Duty 2: Big Red One earned "Outstanding Achievement in Story and Character Development" and The Movies was named "Simulation Game of the Year."

Fire Department 3 takes the accurate portrayal of the fire fighter's realm to the next level thanks to a new technological platform that allows for an incomparably rich and realistic game experience.

Day of Defeat: Source is the latest version of the WWII online action game from Valve. This weekend, everyone is invited to try DoD: Source for free. Join the ranks as Axis or Allies troops located in Western Europe during the height of the war in 1944. All you need to do is install Steam, and you're good to go...

Ninety-Nine Nights is a fantasy action game that mixes action game with strategy elements. You control a massive army that is challenged by hordes of enemies, in a multi-angle scenario, where you can assume the role of various characters and see the game world from totally different points of view.

Another day, another batch of game trailers was released. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are trailers for :

• Auto Assault - Final Trailer
• Empire Earth II: The Art of Supremacy - Behind the Scenes #3
• Battle of Europe: Royal Air Forces - Trailer #2
• Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach - Characters Pack
• Pursuit Force [PSP] - Story Trailer
• Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War - Trailer #9
• Rush for Berlin - Trailers (2)
• Samurai Warriors: State of War [PSP] - Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Valve has changed the Half-Life 2: Aftermath name to Half-Life 2: Episode One, and will release content in a series of episodes according to GameSpot. Similar to Ritual's SiN Episodes, Valve will use its Steam content delivery to offer several episodes instead of full addons, according to Valve' Doug Lombardi. An estimated released date for Half-Life 2: Episode One was not revealed.

Project-Zero has released the long in development new patch for Jowood's online shooter Soldner: Secret Wars. This update brings your retail game to v33668 and adds new weapons, maps, optimized portal and netcode, balances all weapons and vehicles to encourage teamplay.

UPDATE: An updated patch/server has been released addressing an installation issue.

Eidos Interactive today confirms that Commandos Strike Force, developed by Pyro Studios, will be released on April 4th, 2006 on PS2, Xbox and PC in North America.

LucasArts and TT Games today announced their plans to release LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, the sequel to one of the best-selling video games of 2005. Created by TT Games and developed by Traveller's Tales, LEGO Star Wars II is slated for release this fall across seven platforms.

Fight Night Round 3 brings the most intense boxing experience to gamers. Film-quality graphics showcase devastating punch impacts unparalleled in any game or film. On the way to becoming boxing's greatest legend, train to fight like the best including Muhammad Ali or create a boxing style unique only to your boxer.

In “Painkiller: Hell Wars,” gamers play the role of Daniel Garner, who after an unfortunate car accident is trapped between Heaven and Hell. To escape purgatory and find his salvation, he must fight mobs of hellish monsters to stop an imminent Unholy War.

Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny is a sequel RPG to Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana for the PS2. Atelier Iris 2 takes synthesizing to a new level, with new game play, features, and improved graphics, create, customize, and enhance your items and weapons. Experience an epic adventure that crosses two different worlds. And battle evil to save the world from utter destruction.

COR Entertainment has released Alien Arena 2006: GE, which features a host of new features and improvements, including 9 new maps, alt-fires for every weapon, a brand new vehicle(hovercraft), increased visibility, and improved bot AI. Alien Arena 2006 GE has five gamemodes, including DM, TD< CTF, All Out Assault, and Deathball, as well as five different mutators that can be applied.

The Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript is a major adventure and investigation game, the first game created about the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci. It offers players the opportunity to grapple with the mysteries of the codes hidden within the works of the great Italian genius.

Today 3D Realms posted their latest installment in the weekly Prey update in Human Head Software's Prey Project Lead Chris Rhinehart talks about what's been going on the past week, mostly bug fixes, 3DR & 2k Games' input, new features, optimizing the game tweaking, feedback on the recent press tour etc..

SEGA announced today that Sonic Riders went gold and will be shipping to retailers in North America on Feb 21, 2006. Sonic Riders integrates extreme sports, high-speed racing and head-to-head battles, and offers a new racing experience with Sonic.

You embody Captain Scott Mitchell as he commands the Ghosts and Special Forces allies equipped with the IWS in the quest to save the president of the United States, recover stolen nuclear codes and eliminate a vicious band of renegade soldiers hell-bent on unleashing catastrophe. On Feb 16, 2006 at 6:00 PM (French Time) the GRAW developers will be online for a live chat, read more for details ...

Call of Juarez is situated in 19th-century Wild West America and requires a combination of both intelligent stealth and pure shooting. Fast-paced revolver duels using historically accurate firearms, horseback riding, and memorable locations combine with top-notch graphics and an enthralling soundtrack to immerse both casual and hardcore players.

Kuju Entertainment today announced a working partnership with UK train operator First Great Western (FGW) in the development of their forthcoming PC title Rail Simulator. FGW has provided the development team with detailed information about various aspects of the railways.

Prey is serious, dark story, based on authentic Cherokee mythology. Themes of sacrifice, love and responsibility are explored and the story dives into emotional territory not yet explored by similar games.