Purge is an online-only computer game. It is a First-Person-Shooter / hybrid Role-Playing-Game set in the near future accounting a war between the diametrically opposed forces of science-fiction (the Order) and fantasy (the Chosen). Technology versus magic. Science versus religion. Purge is being developed by Freeform Interactive LLC and utilizes the LithTech Talon system. Over the course of the next 6 Mondays, an avid fan Roy Smart will discusss one type of character. We start today with the "WasteLander", and Cyborg, Monk, Fighter, Mage, and Android are up next..

Strategy First, a leading worldwide publisher and developer of PC games, and developer Aerosoft are pleased to announce their new publishing agreement that brings two new Microsoft® Train Simulator Add-Ons to the North American market.

Cat Daddy Games has released an updated tech demo of Cartel, its upcoming high-tech, action packed FPS for PC and next generation consoles. This new playable demo (v2.0) offers the same level as the previous version (the 'Mansion Level', in which you must sneak into the mansion of a drug boss and kill him), but there are tons of improvements and new features, such as new cutscenes, new level design, new music & sound effects, and more (thanks gamershell). Read more for download links

A Tampa Bay area technology company, Infinium Labs Corporation, will develop and market a new game console that will outperform the XBOX, Sony Playstation II, and GameCube. The company plans to market a high performance gaming console and delivery system to provide consumers with options and capabilities that are not available in today’s marketplace. The console will appeal to the hard-core gamer and the high end consumer electronic purchaser. This next generation game console provides a robust, fault tolerant delivery system that supports games on demand, game rentals, game demos, seamless upgrades and patch management. The game console is an “ALWAYS ON BROADBAND DEVICE.” It is easy enough for children to use independently yet so advanced it exceeds the needs of hard-core gamers.

Freelancer Sneak Preview Contest... Microsoft posted following information today on the official site for their upcoming epic space adventure game, Freelancer. Here is the clip:

On Friday, January 24, you will be able to enter both here and at Lancers Reactor to win a Sneak Preview copy of Freelancer. We will be selecting 15 winners from our site, and 15 winners from Lancers Reactor for a grand total of 30 lucky fans. Winners will be selected via a random drawing from all eligible entries received. Contest is open to fans around the world and you will be able to enter between Friday, January 24 to 11 AM PST, Monday, January 27.

Starsky & Hutch is scheduled for release on PC and PS2 in April 2003 and a Xbox version will be released in May. The Gamecube and GBA versions will be released in September.. Now the official site is up, loaded with screens, gameinfo and much more..

Get deep into the excitement and intrigue of the most complete James Bond game yet. All-new scenarios and gameplay complement a completely original storyline that delivers all-out Bond-style intensity on the handheld systems. James Bond 007: NightFire for the Gameboy Advance video game system promises to take players higher and deeper than ever before. As Bond, players will operate in the Austrian Alps, a Japanese highrise, an island in the South Pacific, and even in a zero-gravity space station to defeat the evil criminal mastermind Raphael Drake... Check out the fact sheet for the GBA version, which is coming up in March.

In anticipation of the ninth Annual EA SPORTS Madden Bowl, one of the most exciting events leading up to the Super Bowl, America Online and Electronic Arts today announced that AOL Games and EA SPORTS are presenting the EA SPORTS Madden Bowl Online exclusively to AOL members. By accessing a special password, they will challenge friends, foes and the pros who will participate in the EA SPORTS Madden Bowl tournament on January 23 at 6:30 p.m. PST.

Following the huge success of 2002's Pro Evolution Soccer 2 National Championship, Konami of Europe, GAME and Computer & Video Games are to embark on an all-new 'Champion's Tour', with fans of the game invited to challenge reigning PES2 champion David Sefah.

Electronic Gaming Monthly, a widely circulated magazine covering the field of video games, ranked The Art Institutes national system of schools as having one of the "top five game-design degree programs in the world" in its January 2003 issue. This week, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh enrolled its first class of future game designers in a bachelor's degree in Game Art & Design.

"Hover Ace" features futuristic arcade races on battle hovercraft. Combining racing at breakneck speeds exceeding 500 km/h, with intense action involving various weapons, equipment, and power-ups, "Hover Ace" offers a griping gaming experience. Taking place in a highly detailed, futuristic, science fiction environment, "Hover Ace" offers up sixteen open arena tracks, featuring full freedom of movement, interactive objects and destructible environments. Check the new batch of screens ...

Take it to the net with NBA Starting Five, the basketball simulation that lets you play like an NBA All-star? We took a look at Konami's basketball title and gave it a whirl. Read more to find out wether it was a slam dunk or a bust ...

British Beware! The Highland Warriors are coming! Data Becker Corp. announces that its wildly anticipated 3D RTS game, Highland Warriors, has gone gold over the holiday weekend. The game, developed by Soft Enterprises, features breakthrough graphics (200,000 polygons per screen); brutal historic tales of battle and revenge, and game play elements to interest and excite new and experienced gamers.

City of Heroes is the eagerly anticipated superhero massively multiplayer online title developed by Cryptic Studios. The game is set in Paragon City, a modern day metropolis full of super powered villains, alien invaders and underground monsters. Players take on the roles of Paragon City's superhero defenders and will be able to create their own hero, choose statistics, skills, and powers and design their own superhero costume. Check out these new screens ...

Freedom Games has issued a new patch for G.I. Combat, upgrading their 3D real-time war game to version 1.04. This release offers two more changes over the previous v1.03: "Ambush is enhanced for short defend orders" and "Cover affect is tuned up." Read more for details and download links ....

The forth Vietcong character has been unveiled, CJ Hornster Staff Sargeant. Dependable, sharp-shooting and physically fit, this is one guy you want to have in your squad. (thanks GameZone) Read more to check out screens and more about this serious character..!

Capcom Entertainment announce four Nintendo GameCube titles, Dead Phoenix, Killer 7, P.N.03 and Resident Evil 4 each promising to take interactive entertainment to a whole new level. This impressive line up of games will have players exploring the far reaches of the sky, fighting futuristic enemy mechs, assuming the role of an assassin with seven different personas, and investigating the origin of the progenitor virus. P.N.03 is scheduled to release this summer, Dead Phoenix this fall, Killer 7 in 2004, and the release date for Resident Evil 4 is TBD. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating for all four titles is pending. (thanks GameSpyDaily)

Callisto Interactive would like to present their first game - The Polaris Project, a 1st person action adventure PC game being developed using the open source game engine - Genesis3D. Working in association with Hostway UK, they aim to develop market and publish the game them selves. Their main aim is to build up a large supportive community to provide ideas and support while their team of 4 enthusiastic friends exploit their talents developing the game itself.

The official "ask LucasArts" site is updated with some information about Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb Demo.. Here is the clip:

Do you plan to release a demo for Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb?

Yes, in the upcoming Xbox demo you'll have a chance to punch, whip, and kick your way through the jungles of Ceylon as legendary adventurer and daring archeologist Indiana Jones. Look for the demo on the March cover mount disc of Official Xbox Magazine, and in the coming months at Xbox kiosks in retail stores. It also will be a part of a Xbox Exhibition sampler disc sold in retail locations.

Sword & Sorcery Studios is pleased to announce that it has acquired the rights from Blizzard Entertainment to publish the Dungeons & Dragons Warcraft Roleplaying Game in cooperation with Wizards of the Coast. The D&D Warcraft RPG will translate the richness and complexity of the hugely successful Warcraft real-time strategy computer game series into a fully interactive print roleplaying game world. The game setting is designed for complete compatibility with the popular Dungeons & Dragons game system, created and published by Wizards of the Coast. In fact, the D&D Warcraft RPG will be the first game setting available for, and fully compatible with, the revised editions of the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual that Wizards of the Coast will launch in July 2003.

Konami of America, Inc. today revealed Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, the latest in a series of Castlevania titles for Nintendo Game Boy Advance. Aria of Sorrow is Konami's third Castlevania game for Game Boy Advance, following the successful Castlevania: Circle of the Moon and Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance - both of which ruled the top spot of Game Boy Advance software chart at their respective launches. An entirely new adventure from Koji Igarashi and the creative team behind the critically acclaimed cult classic Castlevania Symphony of the Night (Sony PlayStation), Aria of Sorrow is scheduled to ship in North America in May 2003.

Konami of Europe will take action gaming on the Game Boy Advance to new heights in February, when the incredible Contra Advance is released for the Nintendo handheld. Based on Konami's best-selling SNES game and incorporating a number of all-new stages, Contra Advance is a no-holds-barred action title wherein one or two players are charged with blasting their way through alien-laden zones. Set on a shattered Earth of the future, bio-mechanical aliens rule the world and only Contra's athletic heroes can save the day as they shoot, somersault and climb their way through 2D and 3D scrolling stages.

Exclusive "Officers Club" pack available to those who pre-order the 3D RTS.. Electronic Arts announced today that, beginning this week, it will offer an exclusive Officers Club pack to players who pre-order the highly-anticipated 3D real-time strategy game, Command & Conquer Generals from participating retailers. Command & Conquer Generals will be published by EA under the EA GAMES brand Feb. 11, 2003.

Echelon: Wind Warriors is the next evolution in futuristic flight combat that delivers the latest technical and gameplay innovations demanded by today's experienced game playing audience without sacrificing accessibility for newcomers. Players fly a variety of futuristic aircraft through a number of new missions set on a spectacular continent that takes seven hours of real-time flying to cross. Echelon: Wind Warriors is expanding the futuristic universe of Echelon - the "first-rate flight-combat title that set some lofty new standards for a joystick-controlled game." Echelon : Wind Warriors is being published by Buka Entertainment. Check out the new batch of 20 screens ...