Video Games

We’ve put together a gigantic free download of maps for the popular HL2 Counterstrike Source mod Gun Game that we’re sure you’ll enjoy. At 194MB of raw maps, 676 killer files, get your mod game on! A tag in the .rar file identifies this as “SICFORUM CSS GunGame MapPack.”

Download now: CSS Gun Game GG Maps.rar!

Here is a listing of the files in this download; warning, it’s long, so I’m hiding it behind a cut. You’ll have to view the full post to see: (more…)

According to this post on SteamPowered, they’re having a holiday sale with big savings! The Eidos holiday pack is 10% off, ET: Quake Wars is 25% off, COD4 10% off, the Orange Box 25% off, and Red Orchestra 50% off!

All games are on sale, according to the official announcement:

The first-ever Steam storewide sale is happening now! Save 10-50% on every game in every genre from every developer and publisher on Steam. Stock up on games you may’ve missed in 2007 or pick up a post-holiday gift for a friend or family member. The sale ends January 1st!

Egosoft, producer of both the X2 and the X3 space simulators, will now be selling both products on Valve’s Steam for $29.95 a pop.  From the Egosoft email newsletter:

In order to bring both X²: The Threat and X³: Reunion to the widest
possible audience, there is now a new way to buy them that means you
don’t even have to leave your seat. Just head over to Steam where you
can purchase both games for download directly to your PC. No more
disks and an excellent price.
Since the Steam version does not include a registration code, access
restrictions on forums and downloads relating to X³: Reunion have been
lifted.

This is great news for lovers of space sims.  Available now.

Valve claims that their new single-player FPS, Portal, “changes how players approach, manipulate, and surmise the possibilities of any given environment in a manner similar to how the Gravity Gun changed our approach to how an object may be leveraged in any given situation.”  Sounds to me like a rehashing of yesterday’s ideas… but that’s just me.  You can view the Portal trailer here.

Arkane Studios, the developer of Arx Fatalis, has been working on a new game recently, a game that is steeped in the fanciful tradition of Might & Magic, a game that is called Dark Messiah.  To make such a game, they used Valve’s Source engine, thus rendering the absurd not only plausible, but also compelling.  Please note that this also means that Steam is required to play DM.  At the E3 convention of ‘05, “G4TV awarded Dark Messiah their Best PC Game for E3 2006.  In addition, G4 also nominated Dark Messiah for Best Overall Game.”  You can view the video here.  Three trailers, Assassin, Warrior, and Wizard, exist, but they all require Steam installed to view.  Go here to access the trailers.

The main features and characteristics of DM: Wizard are:

• Cutting-edge technology: the power of the enhanced version of the Source TM engine from Valve, makes it possible to create extraordinary special effects and environments. Discover an innovative first-person view, while handling the entire body of the character, its realistic animation and impeccable physique, which makes this game the leading heroic-fantasy game with a complete first-person combat system.
• Never-ending action: fight the forces of Evil in 12 huge levels, with the help of over 40 different weapons and dozens of devastating spells. Engage in hand-to-hand combat with swords, bows, staffs and other daggers, or summon magic to combat the legions of darkness and sneak in the shadows to attack by surprise wicked creatures. Hardcore action, where your future depends solely on your combat skills.
• The dark side of the Might & Magic® universe: explore the secluded region of Ashan, where fearless orcs, wild goblins, dreadful undeads, elusive trolls, gigantic dragons and many other creatures stunning in both size and depravity. This is a new and darker than ever side of the legendary universe of Might and Magic®, where the forces of evil are stronger and more cunning than ever.
• A rich and deep heroic-fantasy storyline: to prevent the prophecy of the Dark Messiah from coming true young Sareth was trained by a powerful magician, who taught him the art of magic and war. But some unexpected revelations about his past could change the course of events and reveal an unexpected destiny for our hero.
• Subtle touch of RPG: by gaining experience through combats, the player will unlock new powers or equipment to improve his general performance (health, speed, resistance, injuries, etc.) and to broaden his possibilities during combat: perform awesome combos or deadly attacks, summon new spells.
• A revolutionary and fascinating multiplayer mode: join the humans or the undead and choose from four categories of characters. Participate in combats involving up to 32 players, in various game modes, from deathmatch to the revolutionary “Evolution” mode, which enables the player to accumulate experience and gather new equipment across dynamic online campaigns.