The holidays are still months away, but Strategy First has some gifts for all of us in the meantime. They just send us 9 brand new screenshots from Galactic Civilizations, the new strategy game from developers Stardock that is going to have people racing for their PCs in February 2003. Check them out!

In a timeless battle for the fate of the Earth and all humanity, the player assumes the role of the archangel Abaddon (name meaning “Destroyer”). Set in a dark contemporary environment, the fallen angel faces possessed zealots, demons and four giant, eternal forces of the Apocalypse: Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death. During this epic struggle, Abaddon must find and protect the three humans known as the Chosen. By strategically using and combining the powers of the Chosen, the archangel prepares for the ultimate battle against the Horsemen. Hand-to-hand, sword, and projectile combat combine with fantastic abilities to create a surreal, cinematic experience. Especially for HalloWeen, 3DO released screens from one of the characters, WAR. Check him out!

“The Westerner”, developed Revistronic, is the sequel to “3 Skulls of the Toltecs”, released by Warner Interactive in 1996, with more than 180.000 copies sold in Europe. Today we serve up some screens and game info ...

Etherlords II is the sequel to the innovative turn-based strategy game originally released in November 2001. Similar to Etherlords I, which was highly praised for its tactical depth and stunning graphics, Etherlords II promises to be even more spectacular, changing the emphasis of the game from simple exploration and resource gathering to a more enriching story-driven adventure.

Splinter Cell invites gamers to delve into the dark shadows of cyber-terrorism, shadow agencies, and covert operations. The player controls Sam Fisher, a solo operative directed by a top secret, "black ops" wing of the National Security Agency. Alone, yet armed with some of the best hi-tech weapons on the market, Sam walks the fine line between what is legal and what is necessary. He must infiltrate enemy territory and neutralize the opponents—all without leaving a trace. Check these 6 new screens .. Njoy!

Electronic Arts and Def Jam Records just unveiled their new fighting game, 'Def Jam Vendetta'. Read more for some screens, features and some in game footage movie ...

Another reality awaits those who dare to enter the world of Chemicus. Shrouded in secrecy and intrigue, the mysterious city of Chemicus is the repository of chemical knowledge from the beginning of time. It begins with a young scientist’s discovery of an ancient amulet with the power to unlock the portal to the forgotten land. Soon, strange, cloaked men kidnap him, claiming that he has disrupted the delicate balance between our world and theirs. Players find themselves in a virtual mission to unlock the secrets of Chemicus, to restore harmony, and rescue the abducted scientist.

GMX Media announced its first console game today. The title, Kien, will be released for the Gameboy Advance Console early 2003. Kien is an action/platform game with RPG elements. The player's task is to complete an epic, non-linear quest in a fantasy-inspired world, helping the two young heroes in their challenge to defeat the Powers of Evil. The world of Kien is composed of 23 long, challenging levels, each boasting richly detailed and colourful 2D graphics, appealing features, well-animated characters as well as eye-pleasing environments and backgrounds. Read more for some nice looking screens ...

Noticed at Blues that the Firaxis Games Files Page is offering a new v1.04f patch for the brand-new Play the World expansion for Civilization III. The patch is just under 7 MB and adds autopatching and a pillage function along with several fixes addressing things such as multiplayer stability, a memory leak with adviser screens, a bug in play-by-email mode, and more. There is also a new patch for Iron Storm available updating 4X Studios' alternate-history World War I shooter to v1.02. Here's what the patch addresses: "The game will crash to desktop while attempting to rebind keys. This problem primarily occurs when the user has a USB keyboard or USB Mouse or both." Read more for links where to get all of these goodies ...