Down in Flames is an action-packed, fun and innovative game system based on the award-winning card games from Dan Verssen Games. With the unique action/reaction game system, gameplay is fast and furious, and yet captures the principles of airborne warfare during the Second World War exceptionally well.

Half-Life 2 Episode 2 will feature a new weapon (Strider buster), new locations (missile silos, forrests, minefields), new vehicles, more complex physics puzzles, new gravity gun mode, new multiplayer mode and more open battles with large amount of enemies.

Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War is a detailed real-time strategy game that lets players completely command one of the four mightiest empires of the ancient world: Greece, Rome, Egypt, and Persia. This patch brings your US/European retail game to v1.09 and addresses some text and minor performance issues and adds additional info to the readme.

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:

• Crysis - Video Presentation
• Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light [PSP] - Trailer #4
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  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

French studio Asobo announced that it is halting, not cancelling, development of its Grand Raid Offroad racing game in favor of a new adventure/platform title for a well known US publisher. Since Grand Raid Offroad is their internal title, it was put on ice in favor of the new product which will allow them to secure finances to complete the project, according to Asobo's production director David Dedeine. No details on the new game were disclosed but David said it shouldn't be much longer.

Petroglyph, in conjunction with NVIDIA and Creative, are sponsoring the first Star Wars Empire at War map making contest! Now YOU have the power to decide where WE will fight next! So what are you waiting for? Check out the official contest page and get on those Map Editors! Prizes include a NVIDIA Video Card 7800GTX 512MB graphics card and Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic Sound Card.

Ubisoft announced that it will soon release the very first Multiplayer Pack for GRIN's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter on PC. To support the influx of people flocking to the new maps, Ubisoft will launch no less than 20 new dedicated servers at the same time, so you'll have even more places for you and your friends to play.

Monster Rancher EVO introduces an evolution in monster breeding with an intricate character-driven story, a two-phase training system, three-on-three battles and the ability to raise multiple monsters at a time.

Lost Planet is a sci-fi action shooter set within the merciless frozen tundra of a hostile planet, humans struggle for survival as conflicts arise between man, the surrounding indigenous creatures and the monstrous beings that have invaded.

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:

• GUN Showdown [PSP] - Trailer
• Disciples III: Renaissance - Trailer #2
• Armed Assault - TrackIR Trailer
• Pirates of the Caribbean Online - Trailer
• Bet on Soldier: Blood of Sahara - Trailer #2
• The Witcher - Making of Combat Part 2
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  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco has signed bill HB1381, drafted with help from anti-video game activist Jack Thompson, into law, prohibiting the sale or rental of games with violent content to minor by retailers. Not skipping a beat the ESA filed suit in the Federal District Court of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to overturn the state's new video game law.

The scheduled Xbox STACKED Masters Showdown tournaments for STACKED with Daniel Negreanu scheduled for Sunday, June 18th, through Wednesday June 21st, have been cancelled until the release of a pending patch. The first Xbox Showdown tournament to be played will now be “MTV Showdown #5” scheduled for Thursday, June 22 at 7:00pm EDT.

In Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, players will be introduced to the world of Ashan, the new setting for all future Might & Magic games. Ashan is a dark and unforgiving world, scarred by a bloody history and threatened by an apocalyptic prophecy: the Dark Messiah.

It’s 1916, and Manfred von Richthofen’s Jasta 11 is massacring Allied aircrews. In response, the Allies form a special squadron called the Angels of Doom. Headed by top Allied aces, this squadron has one top priority: hunt down the Red Baron, and scatter his Flying Circus into seven winds.

In Birth of America you control one of the major contenders in French & Indian Wars, and the War of the American Independence, trying to achieve military and political victory. This v1.08 patch addresses bug fixes, interface changes, scenario and gameplay tweaks.

Got Game Entertainment today announced a North American retail publishing deal for Atlantis Quest, a classic style matching game with a dazzling new twist. Players embark on a journey across ancient Greece, Babylon, Carthage, Egypt, and Rome in search of one of the greatest mysteries of all time - the lost city of Atlantis.

Taking place three years after the original PS1 title, gamers follow Vincent Valentine's journey as he uncovers shocking truths never revealed in Midgar. Vincent is connected to recent attacks, and he may be the only one who can save this shattered world. When the world is engulfed in darkness, his gun will toll a dreadful dirge.

SEGA announced the celebrity cast for its upcoming video game, Yakuza. To ensure a fully cinematic experience for players, the game will feature the distinctive voice work of Hollywood actors including Michael Rosenbaum, Michael Madsen, Eliza Dushku, Rachel Leigh Cook, and Mark Hamill.

In The Darkness, based on the popular comic book franchise, you play a fearless Mafia hitman who is suddenly possessed by the powers of The Darkness, which you must learn to control in order to overthrow the vicious mob boss and fulfill your destiny.

As promised Cyanide has released a demo for its upcoming cycling title Pro Cycling Manager 2006. This single-player demo features a mountain stage of the Tour de France in which, controlling the T-mobile team, your objective is to take back Ivan Basso's yellow jersey. Beware, demo uses Starforce!

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent will completely revolutionize and reinvent the spy action genre by introducing an unprecedented double agent concept and an entirely new breed of game play that adds an exciting new dimension to the gaming experience.

As society succumbs to a worldwide energy crisis, a new global depression takes hold. Amidst this desperate backdrop, two superpower alliances emerge. Join the battle on the frontlines of tomorrow as the Western Coalition or the Red Star Alliance.

Eidos confirms today that they are developing a special ‘10th Anniversary Edition’ of Tomb Raider. Previously in the works at Core Designs, now part of Rebellion, it has now been taken over by Crystal Dynamics.