showing 28 games

namepublisher(developer)year arrow_downwarddescription
MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries  Activision1996 labelminimizeminimize
X: Beyond the Frontier  THQ (Egosoft)1999[b]meta proportional world[/b] - mostly space stations and production facilities; the game explains this by spatial/space compression technology. Also used to increase storage capacity of your own craft.***X: Beyond The Frontier is the first part in the X-Universe series of games developed by Egosoft.
It tells the story of mankind's rise and fall in the universe, and the attempt by Kyle Brennan to help repopulate the stars using a new ship called the Experimental Shuttle, and how he became trapped in a closed group of sectors linked by a series of jumpgates, owing credits to an alien for helping to save him, and hunted by several people. Unknowingly, a group of secret service people are after him, a group who have tried to hide their races secret, that they are the descendants of a group of Humans who saved earth from the Terraformer fleet they created to help colonise the universe.

Now with the Truth coming out, X: Beyond the Frontier allows the player to play as Kyle Brennan on his hunt to find a way home, whilst helping a group of people find the truth about their ancestry, and continue to help save earth from the Terraformers who are now known as the Xenon.

Trade
Trade in over 50 sectors, with over 50 different goods, upgrade you ships with dozens of upgrades available to you by 5 different races.

Fight
Find the location of the hostile pirates and survive against attacks by the Xenon.

Build
Construct stations to build your own production empire.

Think
Adapt your trading empire to suit the needs of each sectors local economy.
[Egosoft]
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X-Tension  THQ (Egosoft)2000X-Tension is the eagerly awaited expansion pack to X: Beyond the Frontier. The expansion is not limited by a linear plot line but makes use of new ways to expand your empire. You can now take part in missions that are offered to you throughout the game.***
[53]
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MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries  FASA Studios (Cyberlore Studios)2002To get the free version of MW4Mercs, you need to head over [url=http://www.mektekdev.com/]MekTekDev.com[/url] and download their horrible MTX downloader. Downloading the actual game should be straightforward enough after that. Unfortunately there are no alternatives to this.

Update: MW4Mercs is now available: [url]http://www.mektek.net/projects/mw4/[/url] ([url=http://battletech.catalystgamelabs.com/2010/04/30/mechwarrior-4-free-release-available/]announcement[/url])***For 1-24 players, multiplayer only in skirmish battles and can include bots (replacing any missing human players).
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Freelancer Microsoft (Digital Anvil)2003Was originally to be released in 2001, earning its former status as vaporware.***EAN-13: [code]5017783017663[/code] (Xplosiv budget re-release)
... SafeDisc copy protection causes read errors in sectors 844 through 10190.***Sequel to [i][game=StarLancer]StarLancer[/game][/i], set about 800 years after the events of the first game.***[b]Factions:[/b]
* Liberty ("U.S."-themed)
* Kusari (East Asian-themed)
* Rheinland (German-themed)
* Bretonia (British-themed)***Latest version: 1.1 (as of 2003-06-05)

Any patch after retail only addresses multiplayer/server issues and is unnecessary for singleplayer.***Experience a vast, open-ended universe filled with an infinite number of adventures. You are the freelancer Edison Trent, an intergalactic jack-of-all-trades. Your mission: whatever you want. Become a smuggler or a ruthless space thug, a naval hero or a trader. Dodge through asteroid fields while piloting elite spacecraft. The action is endless as you make your way through 48 known star systems. Greed, morality, compassion, anger... whatever motivates you, the dynamic universe will respond. Take the first step. The universe is waiting.
[Microsoft]
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EVE Online  CCP Games;CDC Games (CCP Games)2003[b]Free expansions:[/b] (major patches, really)
* Second Genesis (2003-05)
* Castor (2003-12-18)
* Exodus (2004-11-17)
* Exodus: Cold War (2005-06-29)
* Exodus: Red Moon Rising (2005-12-16)
* Bloodlines (2006-03-02)
* Revelations I (2006-11-29)
* Revelations II (2007-06-19)
* Trinity (2007-12-05)
* Empyrean Age (2008-06-10)
* Quantum Rise (2008-11-11)
* Apocrypha (2009-03-10)
* Dominion (2009-12-01)
* Tyrannis (2010-05-26)

For details on the expansions, see: [url]http://www.eveonline.com/features/[/url]***[b]Minimum:[/b]
* Windows 2000 SP2, XP or Vista
* Pentium III or Athlon 800 MHz CPU
* 512 MB RAM
* 32 MB VRAM
* GeForce 2 Series or Radeon 7200 or similar GPU
* 6.0 GB free HD space
* 56k modem or better Internet connection
* min. 1024x768 resolution

[b]Recommended:[/b]
* Pentium IV 1.5 GHz or Athlon XP 1500+ CPU
* 1 GB RAM
* 128 MB VRAM
* GeForce 6200 class or Radeon 9000 series or similar GPU
* Broadband internet connection
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X²: The Threat  QV Software International (Egosoft)2003X²: The Threat is of a new generation of space simulator games, you play the role of Julian Gardna who continues the story set by X: Beyond The Frontier. The updated graphics engine gives the universe a fresher feel with newly designed ships and stations adding to the complexity of the universe. labelimagesubject
X²: The Threat  Enlight Software (Egosoft)2003 labelminimizeminimize
X³: Reunion  Deep Silver (Egosoft)2005A game about the vastness of the space in a very big universe filled with all kinds of stuff (as ships, stations, asteroids...) and comprising a lot of different ways to play the game (militar, merchant, raider, police, transporter, salvager...) Its complexity and freedom are almost infinite, and has very clever features as speeding the time (for long travels) and very well-crafted reputation and market systems.

But there are 3 big issues with the game:
-The interface and controls are straight horrendous, forcing to employ the auto-pilot more than it should.
-The mission panel is very spartan and doesn´t records any indication of a possible mission (only points at already signed contracts, not featuring indications recieved in messages)
-Theres only 1 message log (important and worth-saving messages merge with a gigantic clutter of mundane conversations and tips)
These 3 problems make the in-game progress very difficult and immensely slow, and the game very boring/frustrating to play.

3 of 10***Greatest flaw in this that I see is that there's no task tracker. You're forced to remember and make notes yourself of what you agree to do and what others tell you to do, though you can review the message log as you like, it's hardly intuitive. This is especially bad considering the game's a sandbox.***Latest version: 2.5 (as of 2007)***[b]Minimum:[/b]
* Windows 98SE, ME, 2000 or XP
* 1.7 GHz Pentium IV CPU
* 512 MB RAM
* 128 MB VRAM
* 2 GB HD space

[b]Recommended:[/b]
* 2.4 GHz Pentium IV CPU
* 1 GB RAM
* 256 MB VRAM
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GUN Activision (Neversoft Entertainment)2005 labelimageminimize
DarkStar One  cdv Software Entertainment;Ubisoft;Strategy First (Ascaron Entertainment)2006[spoiler=Navigation key locations;Hide]+ is for side missions, available from trade stations. These usually unlock at least one system occupied by pirates.
? is for systems that I couldn't find a way to get access to, besides Bailebeag they probably don't even have artefacts in them.

Systems with free navigation keys that were visited as part of the story or had artefacts (the green crystalline icon) in them are not listed as they would be visited regardless.

Note that the early clusters before Klatok were not recorded, not sure if there's even need to.

[b]Klatok[/b]
* Fribeicon

[b]Raptor-Epsilon[/b]
* Khimtishy

[b]Sion'nach[/b]
* Abria'chan
+ Kill'ore

[b]Sirius[/b]
+ Wenee

[b]Madraimor[/b]
* Am'atn'atua
* Sliga'chan
* Dochgar'roch

[b]Hive-AC3[/b]
+ Tiamaung

[b]Gab'har[/b]
+ Bin'dal
? Linside'ore
? Lairg'uie

[b]Hive-B52[/b]
* Shanzeik

[b]Hive-CU7[/b]
* Ringhku

[b]Hive-DC[/b]
* Chanthagon
* Beinn

[b]Hive-ET9[/b]
+ Chondrha

[b]Communa[/b]
+ Pitcalnie
? Bailebeag

[b]Hyma[/b]
+ Dalchalm[/spoiler]
After level 17, ship upgrades require total of 10 artefacts per level (5 for most levels prior), slowing down upgrades significantly. There's supposedly total of 100 artefacts out there, so obviously you can't upgrade all 3 parts of the ship completely (20 levels out of 30 needed for that).***[b]Species:[/b]
* Terran (humans)
* Mortok (humanoids)
* Raptor (cat fish/eel-like humanoids)
* Oc'to (snail/slug-like tentacled things)
* Arrack (ant-like half-cyborgs; space stations modeled like bee hives)
* Thul (almost human humanoids; only females seen, males mentioned)
* S'kaa (humanoids)***[b]Minimum:[/b]
* 1.6 GHz CPU
* Windows 2000 or XP
* 512 MB RAM
* 128 MB VRAM
* GeForce 3 or Radeon 8500 GPU
* 6.5 GB HD space

[b]Recommended:[/b]
* 2.6 GHz CPU
* 1 GB RAM
* 256 MB VRAM
* GeForce 6 series or Radeon X800 GPU
* 7 GB HD space
* 5.1 surround sound
* mouse with mousewheel
[Ascaron]***"Darkstar One" is a game that is primarily story-based and therefore pre-defined; however, "Darkstar One" also offers a fantastic amount of freedom of choice for the players.

The story-based missions gradually lead the player deeper into the galaxy to new races, new technologies and ever stronger opponents. More and more solar systems will become available and may be visited. The artifacts of an ancient race, which are hidden in these solar systems, are essential to upgrade the player ship - the Darkstar One.

Additionally, our hero urgently requires credits in order to purchase better equipment such as weapons and shields. This is where the freedom of choice is applied as the player will be able to earn credits in many different ways: assignments, bounty hunting, piracy, smuggling, trading, escorting, transport, rewards ...

Key Features
* Elaborate story, related by more than fifty minutes of video sequences
* Upgradeable space ship "Darkstar One": The player decides which type of spacecraft he prefers - a fast attack ship with many light weapons or a near-invincible cruiser with heavy weaponry
* Over two hundred different weapons, shields and equipment items
* Rockets, torpedoes and mines feature special tactical uses: mines can tactically fire at opponents or distract approaching missiles
* The "Spell Weapon": the player will have a special weapon at his disposal that will have an area of effect similar to certain spells in role-playing games. This weapon will become increasingly versatile throughout the game and it will increase the tactical potential considerably.
* A vast, simulated universe with numerous, completely different races, space ships and battle tactics.
* Each race features distinctive weapon types with different functions that require different battle tactics. The player will be able to acquire these weapons in order to mount them on the "Darkstar One".
* Special missions, for example in canyons, on the surface of planets or inside of planets
* Freedom of choice: the player may earn his credits in many ways, i.e. fighting, piracy, assignments, smuggling, trading, escorting, transporting, rewards ...
* Follow your own path, be it "good" or "bad", and take advantage of political disputes.
* Compatible with mouse, joystick and gamepad.
[Ascaron]***[b]health warning[/b] — you start hearing a warning sound. when viewing the game from the cockpit you see the red warning light flashing on the 3D HUD and even being reflected on the canopy (though lack of the protagonist's reflection is a bit strange at these times.
[b]monster generators[/b] — cruisers spew forth an infinite number of fighters, so you can't kill their supports first and then the cruiser, you need to destroy the cruiser first or you have an endless and fruitless battle at your hands.***Belongs to the same family of spaceflight games as Elite, Freelancer and X. The basic controls are similar to Freelancer, which means the game plays great with mouse and keyboard alone with no need for joystick.

The game's story is odd as it states that the DarkStar One is an organic ship, but it is one of the most mechanical looking ones out there (with very out-of-place camo paintjob).***2008-02-14 on Steam, by Strategy First (lang: eng)***Reminded me of [[game:Wing Commander]], [[game:Tie Fighter]], etc. from the good old days, so I thought I'd pick it up. The game sounded pretty interesting, but I couldn't really play it for more than five minutes without encountering some major graphical errors or just outright crashes. Funny thing is, when the game crashes, it gives you an error report in German--how helpful!
[cjlee001]
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S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl  THQ;GSC World Publishing (GSC Game World)2007On April 26, 1986, the world's worst nuclear accident occurred: Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl power station exploded, releasing clouds of radioactive matter. Soviet authorities established a 30km 'Exclusion Zone' around this nuclear wasteland, but in 2006 a second explosion rocked the stricken reactor, obliterating all living things and causing the Zone's boundaries to ripple outwards. From this epicentre came waves of mutated creatures, deadly radiation and strange, anomalous energy. The Zone was cordoned off by the military who would shoot on sight anyone foolish enough to brave the horrors within.

It is now 2012 - man has ventured further and further into the heart of the Zone driven by reports of strange 'artifacts' imbued with anomalous energy. Mercenaries and bounty hunters compete to recover these artifacts, which command extortionate prices on the black market. Others seek to find the truth behind the Zone, whilst some merely revel in the desolate lawlessness of the place. Whatever their motivation, over time these individuals - Scavengers, Trespassers, Adventurers, Loners, Killer, Explorers and Robbers - have become known as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s.

Awakening in the Zone, you are one such S.T.A.L.K.E.R., fighting for survival in this man-made Hell, whilst trying to discover the truth behind Chernobyl's sinister past and ominous future.

* An immersive storyline seamlessly blended with a living, breathing, non-linear open-world environment governed by the revolutionary 'A-Life' system
* Accurately modelled real-word buildings and locations from deep inside the Chernobyl exclusion Zone
* Unique 'Survival FPS' gameplay: Combines action, stealth, survival and RPG elements to create an incomparable experience in the Zone
* Enemy Threat Evaluation AI system: NPC characters react dynamically to environments and situations
* Brutally realistic combat mechanics - weapons display accurate ballistic properties and can be modified with silencers and telescopic scopes
* Dynamic day/night and weather system directly impacts gameplay
* Advanced physics and dynamic lighting effects powered by the proprietary 'X-Ray Engine'
* Intense multiplayer action, supporting up to 32 players
[THQ]***[b]Minimum:[/b]
* Windows 2000 SP4 or XP SP2
* Pentium IV 2 GHz or Athlon XP 2200+
* 512 MB RAM
* 128 MB VRAM (GeForce 5700 or Radeon 9600)
* 10 GB free HD space

[b]Recommended:[/b]
* Core 2 Duo E6400 or Athlon 64 X2 4200+
* 1.5 GB RAM
* 256 MB VRAM (GeForce 7900 or Radeon X1950)

[b]Maximum:[/b]
* Core2 Duo E6700 or AMD 64 X2 5200+
* 2 GB RAM
* 512 MB VRAM (GeForce 8800 or Radeon X2800)***Working title: [i]S. T. A. L. K. E. R.: Oblivion Lost[/i]

The European version uses SecuROM 7.x copy protection.
The Russian version uses StarForce 4 copy protection.

Trivia:
- Loosely based/influenced by the book [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadside_Picnic]Roadside Picnic[/url].
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R. stands for [i]Scavenger, Trespasser, Adventurer, Loner, Killer, Explorer, Robber[/i]
[spoiler]- You can find at least one log entry speaking of a guy with a crowbar, named Freeman, who didn't talk (much). A reference to Gordon Freeman from [game=Half-Life]Half-Life[/game], as if he had visited The Zone.
Edit: Remembered it a bit wrong, here's a [url=http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/8300/sskamel032007042241l05bwx0.jpg]screenshot[/url] (not mine) of the log entry.[/spoiler]***DESCRIPTION

Year 2012. Six years passed since the time of the Second catastrophe to have made the April events of 1986 fade.

The game is set in the Chernobyl exclusion zone which turned from a destiny-breaker place into a threat to all mankind. The Zone is reluctant to open up its mysteries and needs to be forced to do it. It is a rare hero who can reach the very heart of the Zone onto find out what danger awaits him there.

A danger which, compared to marauders and enemy groupings, all monsters and anomalies, will seem a mere preparation to the meeting with something more fatal and threatening.

But for now... get ready, hero. Collect artefacts and trade, grope your path and keep an eye on the rear, catch roentgens and fight – only make sure you survive! And then, perhaps, if you are persistent and truly lucky, you will find out why all this had fallen on you.

KEY FEATURES

* Living-and-breathing world: virtual monsters and stalkers migrate around the Zone, similarly to the player they are preoccupied with day-to-day things – feeding, fighting, looking for prey, trading, sleeping, taking rest
* Freedom of movement around the storyline, limited only by the player's will and abilities
* The world of post-Soviet environment
* Authentic objectives of the Chernobyl exclusion zone – the power engineers city of Pripyat, Chernobyl NPP, Chernobyl-2 complex of over-the-horizon detection and more
* Atmosphere of eerie mystery and constant danger
* Multiple game endings
* System of weather effects and dynamic day & night shift
* Photo-realistic graphics, adding to the game atmosphere immersion
* Realistic ballistics, extensive arsenal of real weapon prototypes
* Unique multiplayer modes implemented within the game entourage – artefacts collection, anomalies, radiation, weather effects, day & night change etc
* Extensive map editor possibilities for multiplayer gaming
[GSC Game World]
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The Witcher  Atari;CD Projekt (CD Projekt RED)2007Andrzej Sapkowski, the creator of the Witcher universe, stated that he would not play the game since he has no interest in video games in general. However, he praised the game's opening cinematic, which (partially) tells the story of Sapkowski's very first short story, called simply Witcher (Wiedźmin). The Polish version of the game also comes with this short story.***The original (Polish) version of the game features some allusions to the Polish national-conservative party Law and Justice (Polish: Prawo i Sprawiedliwość). The party's name is mentioned by NPCs in the game in connection with corruption and discrimination against non-humans. Also at some point Geralt may dismiss an NPC saying "Spieprzaj, dziadu!" (approximately "Piss off, old man!"). The cofounder of Law and Justice and president (at the time the game was released) of Poland Lech Kaczyński once famously said those words to a heckler.***Un juego curioso, ya que su manejo e historía son de corte clásico (control en combate "por turnos", inventario complejo e historia de decisiones vinculantes)
Algo complejo de manejar de primeras, pero de todas formas una gran adaptación de las novelas del Tolkien del este.
8 de 10***Latest version: 1.5.0.1304 (as of 2009-07-31)

There's also a separate patch ("[url=http://www.thewitcher.com/community/en/news/920.html]Director's Cut[/url]") that restores the North American version to the same uncensored level that the original European release is. Works on any version from Enhanced Edition onwards.***Although the game has endurance meter, this is only used for casting the magic signs and therefore not eligible for [url=/groups/info/stamina]stamina/endurance[/url] tagging.***Chinese is the only one without voice-overs in that language, all the others have both voice-overs and subtitles.***[b]Enhanced Edition comes with:[/b]
* Game disc
* Game guide
* Manual
* Soundtrack CD
* CD with music inspired by The Witcher
* Bonus game content disc (adventure editor and two new adventures)
* Behind the scenes DVD
* Hard copy of "The Witcher" story by Andrzej Sapkowski
* World map***[b]Minimum:[/b]
* Windows XP SP2 or Vista
* Pentium 4 2.4 GHz or Athlon 64 +2800
* 1 GB RAM (1.5 GB for Vista)
* 128 MB VRAM
* 8.5 GB free HD space

[b]Recommended:[/b]
* Core 2 Duo 2.13 GHz or Athlon X2 5600+
* 2 GB RAM
* GeForce 7900 GTX or Radeon X1950 PRO

Those with less than the min specs need to run the game with [code]-dontForceMinReqs[/code] command-line option passed to the game or it'll refuse to run (though I'd imagine it's quite unplayable for them at some points). This also needs at least v1.2 patch to have been applied (preferably newer, but 1.2 introduced the option).***[code]EU[/code] 2007-10-26
[code]PL[/code] 2007-10-26 by CD Projekt
[code]NA[/code] 2007-10-30 (censored)
[code]NA[/code] 2008-09-19 [i]The Witcher: Enhanced Edition[/i] - a partial remake and re-release, available as massive patch for the owners of the original.
[code]EU[/code]? 2009-10-28 on Steam, by Atari (lang: eng, fre, ger, spa, ita, cze, rus, hun, pol, *trad. chi)
* text-only language(s)

Atari handled worldwide publishing, CD Projekt only the Polish.

The censoring (in NA release) is associated with all the instances where you have sex with the gals. This shows only a very scantily clad art piece of the person and nothing else, so it isn't really that explicit even. More like extremely suggestive. The art pieces were re-touched to make them more modest (such as bare breasts being covered). The dryad NPC was made to have more cover as well in-game (the dryad is fully nude in European releases, though the textures are blurry and don't show any great detail).

The Enhanced Edition is available for free as downloadable update for the owners of the original, although it is worth 909 MB of data so expect it to take a while.***The Witcher represents the pinnacle of storytelling in role-playing games, shattering the line between good and evil with a world where moral ambiguity reigns. In a beautiful, rich game universe created by artists first, technology second, the player becomes his own hero in an epic, action-packed narrative uniquely defined by his actions. Returning to the roots of the role-playing genre with a fresh and modern approach, The Witcher emphasizes story and character development in a vibrant world, while incorporating tactically-deep real-time combat like no game before it.

Immersed in a vivid but harsh fantasy world, the player assumes the role of a white-haired witcher named Geralt, a renowned monster-slayer-for-hire and master swordsman with superhuman strength and reflexes. While trying to regain his lost memory, Geralt unwillingly becomes involved in a world-shaking power struggle. Created to provide entertainment for both fans of role-playing games and those seeking fast-paced action, The Witcher brings together epic storytelling and dynamic, visually stunning, and tactically deep action.

Characteristics:

* Geralt of Rivia: a one-of-a-kind protagonist
* A charismatic and unique character, Geralt is a mutant swordmaster and professional monster slayer.
* Choose from over 250 special abilities correlated to attributes, combat skills and magical powers to build the character in a way best suited to tactical needs and style of play.
* Original fantasy world drawn from literature
* Inspired by the writings of renowned Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
* Featuring adult themes, less fairy-tale than typical fantasy, with mature social issues like racism, political intrigue and genocide.
* It is a harsh world where nothing is black or white, right or wrong, often forcing players to choose between the lesser of two evils to advance.
* Non-linear and captivating storyline
* Full of turns, twists and ambiguous moral decisions which have real impact on the storyline.
* All quests can be accomplished in several ways and the game has three different endings depending on the player's actions and choices throughout the adventure.
* Visually stunning tactical action
* Engage in complex yet intuitive real-time combat based on real medieval sword-fighting techniques.
* Motion capture performed by medieval fighting experts at Frankfurt's renowned Metric Minds studio, resulting in 600 spectacular and authentic in-game combat animations.
* Six combat styles, dozens of potions, complex alchemy system, modifiable weapons and powerful magic add tactical depth to the fluid real-time experience.
[Atari]***The Game

„The Witcher" returns to the tradition of the role-playing genre with a fresh and modern approach, emphasizing story and character development in a vibrant world, while incorporating spectacular and well developed combat system like no game before it. The story is set in the world described in five books - giving additional credibility and depth of the background of the story.

The game features the player as a „Witcher", a warrior who has been trained to fight since childhood, subjected to mutations and trials that transformed him. He earns his living killing monsters and is a member of a brotherhood founded long ago to protect people from werewolves, the undead, and a host of other beasts.

The Vision

Our vision of the game can be described as: A modern story-driven RPG with unique hero, stunning visuals and easy-to-use, yet complex combat system. Perfect both for fans of storytelling and admirers of vigorous action.

Main Features

Deep and intriguing storyline
* Interesting story full of twists and turns in a complex and coherent setting.
* Most quests can be accomplished in several ways.
* Three different endings that depend on player's actions and choices throughout the whole adventure.

Dynamic and visually spectacular action
* Real time combat with motion captured animations performed by a master of medieval sword combat.
* Ragdoll and rigid body physics, powered by Criterion's Karma Engine to simulate interaction with opponents as well as elements of surrounding.

Original character concept and fantasy world
* The main character is a professional swordmaster and monster slayer.
* Game world which is more „adult" and less „fairy-tale" than typical fantasy.
* The world which is not black and white and is inhabited by believable characters.

Easy to use
* Thanks to transparent and intuitive controls, players are able to enjoy the game right after beginning without a long learning curve. During the game the complexity of the system will be gradually uncovered.
* All actions can be done using the mouse only, however shortcuts for all of them are fully configurable.
[CD Projekt]
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Mercenaries 2: World in Flames  Electronic Arts (Pandemic Studios)2008Latest version: 1.1 (as of 2008-09-28?)***[b]Minimum:[/b]
* Windows XP or Vista
* Pentium IV HT or Athlon X2 CPU
* 1 GB RAM
* 256 MB VRAM
* GeForce 6800 GT or Radeon X1600 GPU
* 10 GB HD space

[b]Recommended:[/b]
* 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo or Athlon X2 4600+ CPU
* 2 GB RAM
* 512 MB VRAM

[b]Ports:[/b]
* UDP: 8123, 9000, 10000, 18715, 55123
* TCP: 13505, 18710, 18715
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S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky  GSC World Publishing;Deep Silver (GSC Game World)2008[b]Minimum:[/b]
* Windows 2000 SP4, XP SP2 or Vista
* 2 GHz Pentium IV or Athlon XP CPU
* 512 MB RAM
* 128 MB VRAM
* GeForce 5700 or Radeon 9600 GPU
* 10 GB HD space
* Internet connection for multiplayer

[b]Recommended:[/b]
* Core 2 Duo E6400 or Athlon 64 X2 4200+
* 1.5 GB RAM
* 256 MB VRAM
* GeForce 7900 or Radeon X1950 GPU***Latest version: 1.5.05 (as of 2008-09-??)
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X³: Terran Conflict  Deep Silver (Egosoft)2008As a expansion/remake of X3: Reunion, improves a lot its interface and controls (now its a little complex but very user-friendly) and adds a few interesting campaigns (the previous game was heavily war-oriented in gameplay) Also, the graphics are nicer.
Nevertheless, it still features clunky message and mission systems, making it only a little better than the original game.

4 of 10***X³: Terran Conflict is a brand new, stand-alone game set in the universe of X³. It is the culmination of the X trilogy, with a grand finale that takes us all the way back to Earth's own solar system. Gamers can take on the roles of different characters in the X universe, or of a Terran military pilot, and experience a multitude of stories in the largest X universe ever featured - for X³: Terran Conflict will offer more missions than any other X game before. Meanwhile, X³: Terran Conflict will pose questions such as: How has Earth changed in all these years? And how will relations between Earth and its counterparts in the X universe develop?
[Egosoft]***Announced on 2008-02-03.
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Far Cry 2  Ubisoft (Ubisoft Montréal)2008Con un entorno mucho más abierto que la anterior entrega, manejas a un futuro queso gruyere con patas y malaria en un entorno africano muy interesante.

Juego muy completo, la misión de la plantación no tiene pérdida.

P.D: Odiarás el proceso conocido como oxidación.

7 de 10***[b]Fortunes[/b] DLC features:
Single player additional content:
* Three brand-new weapons: Silenced shotgun, Sawed-off shotgun, Crossbow
* Two new vehicles: Unimog, Quad
Multiplayer additional content:
* Additional weapons and four new exciting maps: Cheap Labor, Last Resort, Lake Smear, Fort Fury***[b]lives[/b] - this is almost the same as [url=/groups/info/deathless]deathless[/url]; you have 1 extra life which is used when you "die" and your partner arrives to drag you off to relative safety. However, if you die again before your partner is ready to save you (gain 1 up, so to speak), you die for good. You meet your partner in one of the safe houses when she's ready to do it again.***[b]Minimum:[/b]
* Windows XP w/ SP2 or Vista w/ SP1
* 3.2 GHz Pentium IV, 2.66 GHz Pentium D or Athlon 64 3500+ CPU
* 1 GB RAM (2 GB for Vista)
* 256 MB VRAM
* GeForce 6800 or Radeon X1650 GPU
* 6 GB HD space

[b]Recommended:[/b]
* Intel Core 2 Duo, AMD 64 X2 5200+ or AMD Phenom CPU
* 2 GB RAM
* 512 Mb VRAM
* GeForce 8600 GTS or Radeon X1900 GPU
* 5.1 soundcard***Far Cry 2, the next-generation first-person shooter from Ubisoft, will take you deep into the most beautiful but also most hostile environments in the world: Africa! More than just a visual and technological achievement, Far Cry 2, the true sequel to the award-winning PC game, will provide you with an unprecedented gaming experience.

Caught between two rival factions in war-torn Africa, you are sent to take out "The Jackal", a mysterious character who has rekindled the conflict between the warlords, jeopardizing thousands of lives. In order to fulfil your mission you will have to play the factions against each other, identify and exploit their weaknesses, and neutralise their superior numbers and firepower with surprise, subversion, cunning and, of course, brute force.

OPEN WORLD

The extensive artistic research combined with the next-gen engine will allow you to explore over 50Km2 of seamlessly rendered African landscape. No game has ever provided such freedom of movement!

DUNIA ENGINE

The Dunia Engine was built specifically for Far Cry 2 by the award-winning Ubisoft Montréal development team. It delivers the most realistic destructible environments, amazing special effects such as dynamic fire propagation and storm effects, real-time night-and-day cycle, dynamic music system, non-scripted enemy A.I. and so much more...

REAL-TIME IMMERSION

Real-time story telling, systemic auto-healing, minimal in-game interface are just few of the features that will make you feel the tension of being alone against barbarous warlords that threaten thousands of innocent lives.

WEAPONS OF CHOICE

Choose from a wide range of weapons to make your way to your primary target. Meet the fight head-on with your machine-gun, go berserk with your machete or make stealth kills as a Sniper. If you feel that the atmosphere is not warm enough, light up your flamethrower and let your enemies and everything around them feel the heat.

VEHICLES

Fly, Drive, Run, slide and hover over the huge open world with your glider, trucks, cars, boats and much more.
[Ubisoft]
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The Sims 3 Electronic Arts (EA Redwood Shores)2009Way worse than Sims 2, with only a city that is terrain-fixed, and with the control of only ONE family for the sake of neighborhood aging (good concept, but stupid for a shared computer or when you simply want to play many different families)

7 de 10***Although the base game concept is interesting as social simulation game, the game only includes one small town to play in and sell additional towns as microtransactions for about 25USD/20EUR (that's for [u]single town[/u]), there's also other limitations which aren't as egregious as this. But I don't think I need to really go into detail on the game beyond this. It's a money milker for EA, but considering how successful the game has been, I rather question the players who actually fall for this rather than EA for doing it. I bought the game when it was discounted at "low" 15EUR price itself (from original 50EUR) and I can say that the game is hardly worth even that much. Maybe if it was like 10EUR with towns being 2EUR or so, I might consider it reasonable. There's also DLC expansions that cost the same as the base game itself.

Unfortunately popularity (or market hype?) of Sims series has made it pretty certain there won't be any serious competition, it also allows EA to continue producing inferior games for ridiculously high price.

As a game, it's decent I think, but in terms of value vs price, you're paying 100-1000 times more than you should be. Hence, don't buy any Sims games outside of significant (>60%) discounts.***The game seems to have a long standing non-critical bug where the game starts freezing every few minutes. According to some players this is likely related to pathing code where some NPC gets "stuck" and can't figure out how to get their stuff done as a result. There is no real fix for this besides starting a new game which obviously doesn't prevent an NPC from getting stuck again.***The freedom of The Sims 3 will inspire you with endless creative possibilities and amuse you with unexpected moments of surprise and mischief! Create over a million unique Sims and control their lives. Customize everything from their appearances, to their personalities and even the home of their dreams. Then, send your Sims out to explore new locations around town and to meet other Sims in the neighborhood. Go online to download exclusive content and show off your own creations to the world. With all-new quick challenges and rewarding game play, The Sims 3 gives you the freedom to choose whether (or not!) to fulfill your Sims’ destinies and make their wishes come true.

Key features:
* Create any Sim you can imagine and give them unique personalities! Fine-tune your Sims’ appearances and personalities. Will your Sims be Evil, Romantic, Paranoid, Kleptomaniacs, or more. You choose the traits to create completely unique Sims.
* Control your Sims’ destinies! Choose whether or not to fulfill your Sims’ destinies by making their wishes come true. Will your Sims be Rock Stars, World Leaders, Expert Thieves , or more – it’s is up to you.
* Customize everything! Build the ultimate dream house for your Sims. Infinite customization possibilities for their clothing, furnishings, even their car.
* Explore new locations! Take your Sims to meet friends in the park, go on a date at the bistro, visit neighbors’ homes, or even converse with less-than-savory characters in the graveyard.
* Connect, share and shop! Go online to make movies, show off your creations, download exclusive content and more.***Separately sold add-ons:
* Showtime
* Master Suite Stuff
* Pets
* Town Life Stuff
* Generations
* World Adventures
* Ambitions
* Late Night
* High-End Loft Stuff
* Fast Lane Stuff
* Outdoor Living Stuff
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Borderlands 2K Games (Gearbox Software)2009DLC add-ons:
* The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned (2009-12-09)
* Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot (2010-01-07)
* The Secret Armory of General Knoxx (2010-02-25)
* Claptrap's New Robot Revolution (2010-10-29)***[b]Minimum:[/b]
* Windows XP or Vista
* 2.4 GHz CPU
* 1 GB RAM
* 256 MB VRAM
* GeForce 7 series or Radeon HD2400 GPU

Game hosting:
* TCP: 7777, 28900, 28910
* UDP: 7777, 27900***Latest version: 1.40 (as of 2010-09-28)
History:
* 1.31 (2010-08-04)
* 1.30 (2010-02-25)
* 1.21 (2010-02-02)
* 1.20 (2010-01-08)
* 1.01 (2009-11-16)***For 1-4 players simultaneously.***As the first title in an all-new sci-fi action franchise, Borderlands combines the best elements of Gearbox Software's first-person action titles with player customization and vehicular combat. Borderlands features a unique content generation system allowing for near-endless variety in missions, environments, enemies, weapons, item drops and character customization. Borderlands is a cooperative experience, allowing for multiple players to share the same game experience simultaneously online. Players can freely join or leave each other’s games at anytime, or choose to play in the full single-player mode. Borderlands features life-like character animations, impressive real-time physics, and customizable vehicles. More details to follow.
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The Precursors  Russobit-M;Game Factory Interactive (Deep Shadows)2009There's an unofficial patch for the western release that replaces a lot of the sounds with the ones from Russian release (also thus "adding" voices [rather, restoring their Russian voice-overs] for all characters rather than only very few of them) as well as fixing certain issues.

This patch is also available [url=http://www.beamdog.com/products/the-precursors-fan-improvement-pack]as free DLC[/url] on Beamdog in case you got the game from them.***Precursors, predecessors, the legend of the galaxy... Who among the existing races are carrying their genes?
The worlds of the galaxy are beautiful, unique and dangerous. Some of them are inhabited, some are deserted, some lie in ruins, others are just smugglers trans-shipment stations.
Some worlds are at the beginning of their evolution, other are falling into decay. Only when you'll pass through all of these worlds, when you'll feel the heat of blazing lava-seas and the chilling cold of dark abysses, when you'll see stark heavens and red skies, you will realize the real power of nature. Only when you'll meet corrupt judges, mendacious politicians, unselfish protectors and cruel tyrants, you'll understand the passions of society. Only when you'll reach unexplored sectors of the galaxy and come across wonderful natural phenomenons, when you'll fly through the tail of a comet or dive into a mysterious portal, then you'll perceive the infinite depth and diversity of the universe.
Nobody knows what exactly this journey will comprise, but we can assure you that it will be unforgettable...

"Precursors" is a new project of Deep Shadows. The game action takes place in space and on the surface of various planets. The genre of the game is freeplay RPG with FPS and space sim combat elements.

"Precursors" and "White Gold: War In Paradise" are developed using the Vital Engine 3. It has shader 3.0 support and features various post rendering effects like HDR, motion blur and others. In comparison with the Vital Engine 2 the physics system has been improved and moreover, two of the main features of the engine are destructible objects, which will be found everywhere in the games, and support of one huge unified playing area.

You will fight your enemies in space as well as on the surface of various planets. You will be able to work for different factions and carry out their quests to earn money, which is quite essential for your hero. The money will give you the opportunity to buy new weapons, make technical upgrades or repair your damaged spaceship.

You can explore a planet's surface using a wide choice of different vehicles, but in space you will use only one ship which will be given to you at the beginning of the game. RPG stats will allows you to upgrade not only the personal characteristics of your hero but the technical abilities of your spaceship as well.
[Deep Shadows]
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X³: Albion Prelude  Egosoft2011As the expansion of X3: Terran Conflict, it improves the merge between war, market and diplomatic systems, making factions weaker if its economy becomes stagnant or making easier to get the help of the enemy of your enemy, and many other new ways to interact with the different species. Also includes a lot of new items, ships, etc...
Sadly, the game is still very slow and frustrating because not only the mission system (almost the same, but with more chained missions that "hide" this radical flaw), but because the uncareness of the game for the player when you finish the tutorial (its difficult to encounter feasible missions or even something relevant to do)

4 of 10***X3: Albion Prelude is the latest game in the X3 space game series. TRADE, FIGHT, BUILD, THINK in a living and breathing universe. A new plot and many additions to the open free-form gameplay.
[Steam Store]
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Avernum: Escape from the Pit Spiderweb Software2012Spiderweb Software returns to its epic creation, to tell a story of imprisonment, rebellion, and the struggle for freedom against overwhelming odds. Avernum: Escape From the Pit is the first chapter in an Indie fantasy role-playing saga, the tale of desperate exiles and their battle for survival and a land to call their own.

Avernum: Escape From the Pit features:
* Epic fantasy adventure in an enormous underworld.
* Huge outdoors and eighty towns and dungeons.
* Three separate game-winning quests. Seek safety, escape or revenge. Do just one of them or all three!
* Unique races and settings make Avernum different from any adventure out there.
* Dozens of side quests and hundreds of magical artifacts.
* Rich game system with over 50 spells and battle disciplines and a multitude of beneficial character traits to choose from.
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Far Cry 3 Ubisoft (Ubisoft Montreal)2012 labelimageminimize
Miner Wars 2081 Keen Software House2012[b]Recommended:[/b] (pre-release)
* Wndows XP w/ SP2 or Vista
* 2 GHz CPU
* 1 GB RAM
* 128 MB VRAM
* GeForce 6 series, Radeon R520 (X1300) or GMA X3000 GPU
* 1 GB HD space***Miner Wars is a 6DOF underground and space shooter played in a fully destructible environment and is a combination of single player story game and MMO.

As a player, you operate an advanced mining ship in an open world asteroid belt area. Dig kilometers of tunnels, harvest the ore, travel the solar system, fight your enemies and uncover mysteries.

Game-play is led by an epic story and is a combination of a single/multi-player gaming; cooperative, or you against everyone.

The story will introduce you to many types of missions: rescue, exploration, revenge, base defense, theft, transportation, stealth, escort, search and destroy, pure harvesting, racing or just flying around and destroying everything you see.

High quality rendering and special effects, realistic physics, unique 'destructible engine', and game area with no boundaries make this game a real life experience.

[b]Key Features[/b]
* [b]Global Scale Destruction[/b] - The whole environment in the game is destructible and persistent. You can travel to a forgotten asteroid, mine a tunnel and make it your secret base of operations. You could take an asteroid buster rocket and destroy any large asteroid. You could dig a long tunnel in a huge 8km asteroid and wait until an unsuspecting victim flies into the tunnel and mount an ambush. The possibilities are limitless.
* [b]6DOF Combat / FPS in Space[/b] - Every ship in the game is fully maneuverable in six directions. This makes the combat extremely dynamic and exciting. FPS veterans will feel at home with our WASD- mouse-and-key setup and Space simulation fans can use their beloved joysticks to maneuver the ship in space. Miner wars is a full PvP/looting friendly environment.
* [b]Skill-Based Game[/b] – Flying and combat will take mainly physical and mental skill. No "grinding" your way to the top doing repetitive missions as there are no levels, only player skill. You can, however, upgrade your ship to have that "edge" in the field.
* [b]Wide Variety of Ships[/b] - A player can acquire the ship that will most suit his needs. There are no restrictions as to which type he chooses but some will be more suited for mining, large battles, exploration / scouting and some for hit and run tactics.
* [b]Complex Dungeons in Space[/b] – Seamless transition between outdoor and indoor areas. Player will be able to enter big asteroid bases and stations full of enemies and loot. Players will also be able to battle each other in these indoor areas and engage in some real intense multi-player battles.
Planned for next release version: Player controlled mining stations and trade posts.
* [b]Ship Upgrades[/b] - Every ship can be upgraded on a space-station with a large variety of weapons, armour plating, engines, radar systems, maneuvering thrusters, mining equipment and many other kinds of upgrades.
Planned for next release version: EVA (extra vehicular activity) - you will be able to leave your spaceship and travel on foot in space (space suits) or on space stations to meet your fellow companions face to face.
* [b]Mining and Exploration[/b] - Any player in the game can choose to lead the life of a miner or explorer. There are almost 50 material types that can be mined from an asteroid and some of them are so rare that they will make you a very rich person should you find them. An explorer can travel around sectors and get a good chunk of money for tips on where to mine.
* [b]Epic-Sized battles[/b] - Our "Vrage" engine allows for some really massive battles in space. Up to 300 player ships can be displayed in one sector and engage in a rough battle for resources.
Planned for the next release version: Player controlled mothership, battleship and cruiser battles.
* [b]Looting[/b] – In a world where it's Player vs. Player, our players will have to keep their purses heavy and their combat skills sharpened. Any ship in the game can be looted by another player should it be destroyed. You can either destroy your opponent, (either NPC or Player) and get much lesser loot or you can disable your opponent and steal some of his equipment and resources. In the heat of the battle some of the equipment or resources will get destroyed.
* [b]Factions[/b] - There will be around 30 factions in the game. All of the factions will have a different approach on reaching their goals (explorers, army, miners, fanatics, etc.) and some of them will be aiming only at strict piracy. Or you may choose to go it alone and form a freelance crew.
Planned for the next release version: A player can become leader of a faction should he get elected by the faction elections
* [b]Artifacts[/b] - Their purpose is still unknown to mankind, but they are certainly not made by humans or by nature. They are found randomly, and no existing radar system can detect them. Some are found in alien tunnels, some of them only after digging into the asteroids.
* [b]Combination of Single and Multi-Player Elements[/b] - Is the mission you're on too tough for you? With just a quick chat you can hire a friend to help you on your quest for the truth!***[media=youtube]fudXV6-aq-4[/media]
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X Rebirth Deep Silver (Egosoft)2013At least they changed the mission panel! And the messages have tags! :D

Now its a very playable game, easier to control, with an average difficult curve (not as stepped as previous games), and even prettier than before (specially planets, that feel enormous and look mesmerizing) Also, space highways and station/ship interiors are some of the new neat additions that makes it feel alive.

I miss the complexity of weapons and station systems, but its a little trade-off in comparation with the major improvements.

7 of 10***[media=youtube]eNs1rdSkUi8[/media]***In the distant future, the X universe faces a period of profound and irrevocable change. While the universe stumbles towards an uncertain future, countless adventures await as new enemies rise in search of power. Enter a young adventurer and his unlikely female ally traveling in an old, battered ship with a glorious past - two people alone against the galaxy, playing a key part in the events to come. The fate of the universe rests in the hands of the player...

X Rebirth represents a spectacular new beginning for the X series, offering loyal fans and newcomers alike a vast, vivid and extremely detailed universe to explore throughout the game. Varied gameplay elements such as action-packed space combat, detailed trading mechanics and high-speed space exploration with fast travel allow players to experience a truly unique space saga that will keep them hooked for dozens of hours. X Rebirth features a whole new user experience - it is easier than ever to start with, and remains as deep as fans expect it.

Features
* It gets personal: Character-driven UI and a living and breathing universe
* It gets fast: Fun and fast travel with new transportation systems
* It gets big: The most detailed X universe ever
* Endless room for exploration
* Easy to learn - hard to master
* Gameplay, controls and UI are redesigned from scratch
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The Last Federation  Arcen Games2014 labelimageminimize
Endless Sky author2015Endless Sky is a 2D space trading and combat game inspired by the classic Escape Velocity series. Work your way up from a relatively wimpy shuttle, cargo ship, or fighter, to a highly upgraded and customized flagship or to a massive fleet of warships or freighters. Earn money by carrying passengers or cargo, escorting convoys, bounty hunting, or plundering and capturing enemy ships. Take sides in a civil war, or ignore the story line and just enjoy exploring the galaxy and blasting pirates.

The main story line takes about 8-16 hours to play through. The galaxy contains hundreds of star systems and planets, and several alien species with their own unique technologies. You can choose between more than fifty ships and several hundred ship upgrades. A plugin system allows anyone with a text editor and a paint program to create new ships, weapons, or missions, and the galaxy editor can be used to add new star systems and planets.

Endless Sky is free, open source, and cross platform (Windows, Mac, and Linux). Over time, the game universe will expand as contributors add new missions, story lines, alien species, places to explore, sound effects, and artwork.
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Rebel Galaxy Double Damage Games2015 labelimageminimize
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