Painkiller is a nickname of a pretty unusual mercenary, who is dealing with supernatural. There are places on Earth where demons and other evil creatures have their nests: abandoned prisons, private castles, deep caves in the mountains. "Cleaning" those places is good money, and our hero needs a lot of it, since he loves living the life to its fullest. One day he gets what seems to be a pretty simple job: to retrieve a religious artifact from one of the nests. When after a furious battle he realizes he might have been tricked into the war between two competing clans of the undead, he tries to play his own cards.

Budding Al Capone's across the world are set to play out their gangster dreams thanks to leading game publisher Whiptail Interactive's latest offering Gangland, developed by Danish gaming experts MediaMobsters, which is due to be released across the UK, Europe and North America in November 2003. In a new hybrid format that combines the best elements of real-time strategy, role-play and simulation gaming genres with a totally new style of in-game combat, Gangland delivers a menacingly fresh PC gaming experience. Read more for a batch of new screens ...

Feel the power of commanding a modern jet fighter. Fly a variety of combat aircraft in the most graphically rich, audio intense game environment ever created for a combat flight simulator. Lock On: Modern Air Combat combines a broad scope of game play that includes a dynamic campaign system, an immersive combat environment, and in-your-face action. Read more for the full review ...

The Sims Bustin' Out features an all-new neighborhood with over a dozen new unlockable locations and a cast of over 40 new zany characters to socialize with. Players will purchase a car or scooter in order to get out of the house and head to the Gym to work out with exercise fanatic Goldie Toane or to Club Rubb to rave with club owner Bing Bling. Players will be able to crash parties, create havoc, or just drive their neighbors crazy!

An unprecedented approach to video game play -- holding two separate game screens in the palm of your hand -- hits the scene later this year when Nintendo introduces a new portable game system, code-named Nintendo DS.

Activision sent over a small notice in regard to the anticipated Call Of Duty patch. According to the PR department "We wanted to let you all know that we're listening to your questions about the Call of Duty patch. I've spoken to the team and thought it might help to let you know that updates are definitely coming. Infinity Ward is working now to complete the first update meant to address several issues like bunny hopping, etc.. We also know that you're very concerned about cheat protection. The guys at Infinity Ward are currently considering the best way to address cheat protection. The guys are working really hard and as soon as I have more info, I'll pass it along."

Cash strapped from the holidays? Then gear up for a hot new game - with all the action you'd expect from SEGA of America, for just 20 bucks! Next Tuesday, SEGA delivers high-octane action with the launch of "SEGA GT Online," the most realistic driving game exclusively for the Xbox. Prepare to hit SEGA's newest high-speed raceways soon - without taking a hit on your wallet!

Interplay has sent out notice that Dark Alliance II is shipping to retail today!!! That means that it will be in stores tomorrow! "Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II" features more monsters, 80 levels of gameplay, visually stunning environments, five new customizable player characters to choose from, hidden areas to explore, as well as an item creation system that will allow players to create their own ultimate magical items. To celebrate Interplay has released a new trailer, read more to check it out...

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 :

• Firefighter FD 18 - Trailer
• Alpha Black Zero - Trailer
• Combat Elite: WWII Paratroopers - Trailer
• 
  
  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Electronic Arts' German Fussball Manager website, known as Total Club Manager 2004 to the rest of us, now offers a new patchpatch for Total Club Manager 2004 (English & German version). This upgrade brings your retail game (only available in Europe atm) to v1.2 and adresses several bugs and game tweaks, etc. Read more for a detailed fix list and download links ...

Entertainment software developer and publisher NovaLogic, Inc. is delighted to announce that the expansion pack for Delta Force - Black Hawk Down has shipped and will be in stores on January 21st, 2004.

Ubisoft today announced that Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 will be released for the PlayStation2 in March 2004. Developed by Ubisoft's Shanghai studio, the game offers the most thrilling and realistic single- and multi-player counter-terrorist experience available anywhere. The PS2 version features exclusive content (single- and multi-player missions) and a very cool split screen feature for 2-player, offline cooperative gameplay. Check out a handful of screens from a brand-new, PS2-only level - set in Trieste, Italy.

Sammy Studios, Inc. today launched the dedicated web site for "Darkwatch: Curse of the West," its recently announced Vampire-Western 1st person shooter (FPS). "Darkwatch: Curse of the West" blends two popular fiction genres to create a truly original premise for a cinematic game and, with many unique gameplay elements, brings tremendous variety and innovations to the FPS genre. Read more for some new screens and download the ingame trailer...

Encore and JoWooD, an Austrian game publisher and developer, today announced that Silent Storm has begun shipping to retail stores in North America. Silent Storm is a true 3D game combining turn-based tactical combat and role-playing set against the background of World War II.

ESPN Videogames announced today that its highly anticipated baseball title, ESPN Major League Baseball, will incorporate broadband online play for both the PlayStation2 and the Xbox. ESPN Major League Baseball is scheduled to release across North America in Spring 2004. ESPN Videogames are produced by Visual Concepts - Sega's sports studio.

Ubisoft has released the anticipated demo for their action/adventure game Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time giving you the chance to check out one level. In Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time players take the role of the Prince in the exotic, mysterious world of ancient Persia. Using groundbreaking animations and innovative time-control powers to recapture the Sands of Time, their role is to restore peace to the land. Read more for download links ...

The anticipated patch for Atari's Unreal 2 XMP free multiplayer addon has been released. This patch brings your retail game to v7710 and helps to reduce server CPU usage, fixes a variety of bugs, adds a number of new features such as in-game server browser, a modified version of the Harbinger vehicle and plenty more. Read more for details and download links ...

In Tribes: Vengeance's single-player campaign, gamers become immersed in a roiling galactic thriller. Throughout the game, the player catches glimpses of other, interrelated stories that are unfolding behind-the-scenes. In addition, gamers are given the opportunity to experience the full scope of the single-player story through multiple viewpoints and characters. Check out these new screens ...

Ground Control 2 : Operation Exodus takes place during the year 2741 AD, roughly 300 years after the events in the original game. The democratic and freedom caring Northern Star Alliance (NSA) is being hard pressed by the warmongering Terran Empire. The war has recently entered a new stage; a brutal and deadly ground war, as the Empire has managed to land their first troopships on the last NSA controlled planet – Morningstar Prime... Read more to check out some new screens ...

Red Ant Enterprises announces that it has officially entered into an exclusive distribution agreement for Massive Assault on PC CD ROM, with international games developer Wargaming.net, Inc., for the territory of Australia & New Zealand. Massive Assault is due for release 20th February 2004.

Who says video games are a waste of time? Certainly not those who will be competing for thousands of dollars in this year's V Games (www.thevgames.com), sponsored by Ziff Davis Media Group and EB Games. From March to October of 2004, 30 cities will host qualifying rounds of the 2004 V Games, the first ever live-action, console and PC based video game tournament. An estimated 30,000 people will compete in eight top video games nation-wide.

Since its initial launch in March 2003, enthusiasm for Vietcong from fans of the first-person shooter genre has spawned hundreds of on-line communities, clans and dedicated servers. Now, in January 2004, Gathering will launch Vietcong: Fist Alpha, the official mission disc for Vietcong. Read more for details & screens ...

Level Of Detail (previously Delphine Software) has revealed new information from their upcoming 3D action/platform/rpg hybrid Light in the Darkness. Fighting/Platform/RPG in which the player can play from 1 to 4 on the same screen. Read more for details & screens...

Eidos today provides an update on trading during the six month period ended December 31, 2003. The Company has continued to make good progress in the achievement of its strategic objectives, which will result in operating profits for the period well ahead of the comparable period last year, though below some market expectations. The Board's full year operating profit expectations remain unchanged. The article goes on about the financial results but also mentions Thief: Deadly Shadows, ShellShock: Nam '67 (previously named Tour of Duty).