Developed by Mad Doc Software and due for release in the first half of 2005, Empire Earth 2 will build upon the award-winning formula of its predecessor by adding features requested both by casual game players interested in a brief spin through history and by more hard core gamers who demand a real-time strategy game that will challenge them for dozens, if not hundreds, of hours.

Atelier Iris :Eternal Mana is an SRPG like none other on the PlayStation 2. Create your own items and weapons each with unique powers, appearances and abilities. Experience an epic adventure filled with a powerful story and ominous intrigue. Battle vicious monsters where your mastery of weaponry and spells is the only thing between you and ferocious beasts.

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

• Dragonshard - Trailer #3
• Phantom Kingdom - Trailer
• Wanda and the Colossus - Trailer #3
• Still Life - Trailer #3
• Boiling Point - Trailer #5
• Project Snowblind - Trailer #3 & #4

Namco announced today that Ridge Racer will be available at launch for the PSP. Taking full advantage of the PSP's wireless connectivity, Ridge Racer will feature an extensive multiplayer mode.

Ubisoft has released an updated demo for the English edition of Blue Byte's 3D RTS game 'Settlers: Heritage Of Kings.' This v1.03 demo now adds multiplayer capabilities to the previously released singleplayer only demo (which was later enabled by means of a seperate patch.) Fans will enjoy fully animated 3D technology and enhanced gameplay features, but still be able to relive the experience that makes the Settlers series such a big hit. Read more for download links ...

EA has released a new patch for EA Canada's soccer manager Total Club Manager 2005. This update brings your UK/German retail game to v1.02 and addresses various bug fixes, game crashes and making several game improvements. Read more for download links ...

Atari announced today that a wet, wild and totally soaked new expansion pack to RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 will ride into stores this June. RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Soaked!, the first expansion pack to RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 will let players create and control their own water parks for the first time. Read more for details and the first screens ...

Celebrate summer as hundreds of peeps catch rays and waves with an amazing lineup of super-splash flume rides, massive water slides, aquatic shows, beaches and more. Blast peeps with water cannons, build them outrageous coasters, and wow ‘em with laser light water shows! Get drenched with this splashy summertime addition to one of the biggest games of the year.

While the Eureka 7 PS2 game is scheduled for summer 2005, the anime that takes place in the same world as the game will debut in April 2005. Full production details have been disclosed on the Eureka 7 website, and this article will give an in-depth look at the premise, setting, and characters of the upcoming show. With animation by BONES and staffers gathering from some of the best anime of recent years, Eureka 7 is shaping up to be one of the best new anime of 2005.

Nanobreaker, developed by Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi, is a fast-paced 3D action game in which the main character wields a powerful, shape-shifting Plasma Blade to defend mankind from deadly nanomachines. Read more for new screens ...

The latest Settlers game takes the franchise and pushes it to the next level with fully animated 3D technology and enhanced gameplay features,. The game will take the player to a medieval setting, to re-conquer the kingdom currently under the domination of an evil tyrant. While Heritage of Kings is not released yet in English territories, Blue Byte is already working on an addon "The Fog Realm" with new maps, new heroes, and editor.

Atari has released a patch for Firaxis' action/adventure game Sid Meier's Pirates! This is a replacement executable for the DVD version that fixes an issue with SecuROM copy protection, so just overwrite the old one, maybe make a backup just to be safe (thanks 3DGamers). Read more for download links ...

Liquid Games confirms a March release date for their homage to the fastest growing sport in the world; Poker. With Poker appealing to every level of society from the postman to the billionaire banker, Liquid's Poker Masters allows the player to engage in any one of the five forms of poker; all gauged to test his or her cunning and strategy to their limits.

Phantagram today announced that a sequel to Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders is currently in the works for Xbox. Produced by Phantagram and developed by Blueside, Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes will feature greater approachability and major enhancements in action and online elements over the predecessor. Henry Lee, who led the creators of Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders in Blueside, will also direct Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes.

Midway Games announced today the pre-sell program for Area 51. Gamers can pre-order their copy of Area 51 and receive a copy of Midway Arcade Treasures 2, for free. Comprised of twenty arcade classics such as Mortal Kombat II and 3, NARC, Gauntlet II, and Pit Fighter, Midway Arcade Treasures 2 allows gamers to rediscover the retro fun of single and multiplayer arcade favorites.

Variety is reporting that Microsoft recently completed a million dollar deal to secure the services of Alex Garland, 28 Days Later and The Beach writer, who is now in the process of penning a screenplay for Halo The Movie. Once the script is complete and signed off by Microsoft, it will be sold to a studio with ex-Columbia Pictures President Peter Schlessel keeping a close eye on the proceedings (thanks VE3D).

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

• Pro Rugby Manager - Trailer #2
• Brothers in Arms - Trailer
• Cold Fear - Trailer #2
• Atriarch - Trailer

Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower is a hard hitting fighting game summons the return of Capcom’s greatest monster warriors to once again battle for control of the night. This fierce brawler not only encompasses all 18 menacing characters from the five critically acclaimed instalments of the franchise, it is also remastered to include additional content with Wi-Fi functionality.

The guns of the greatest of all wars roar into life in and on The Road to Berlin. This fast-moving game drops the player right in the middle of frenzied combat action, where the thrills just keep coming! Pilot, gunner, sniper, paratrooper – all these roles are played out through a simple, intuitive point-and-click interface, allowing instant and complete immersion in the game world.

Planetwide Games announced today a historic event of epic proportion, that after seven years of development, the RYL: Path of the Emperor MMORPG went into Open Beta phase for North America. Planetwide Games will operate Open Beta for a limited time only until the Golden Launch date of March 1, 2005. RYL: Path of the Emperor currently has over 8.2 million online players worldwide.

Digital Jesters has scooped another title to add to its already impressive 2005 portfolio as it announces the June release of Chaos League: Sudden Death for PC. The game, developed by Paris-based Cyanide Studios, takes up where the original Chaos League left off, bringing with it a host of improvements and enhancements which make take the real-time, role-playing strategy sports title into a whole new bloody battleground.

Aurora Watching is a third person perspective stealth game taking place in the Arctic. During the mission, Sullivan faces many opponents, not all of whom are human and each of which can be defeated in many ways, Mini-games, puzzles, and hi-tech gadgets keep players excited from the very beginning to the end.

DreamCatcher Games today announced Aerial Strike: The Yager Missions, a futuristic aerial 3D combat/action game, is now at retailers across North America.

Rising Star Games will initially publish titles for PSP, Nintendo DS and PlayStation 2, introducing new games alongside enhanced and updated iterations of interactive entertainment's most loved franchises. Harvest Moon Makes First Ever PS2 appearance alongside New DS, GBA and Game Cube Versions; Space Invaders and Bubble Bobble Updated For next generation handhelds.

RattHunter is a traditional first-person shooter set in a hi-tech environment. It does not push the envelope or bring something fresh to the genre, since we feel that there is little place for innovation in today's action games market. It is, however, solid, polished and smart. Developers lay the emphasis on original ideas in visualization and gameplay design.