Counter Strike Junkie

Hot on the heels of the release of the most recent version of Obsidian Conflict, the Synergy team have announced that their longawaited Orange Box…

Rock, Paper, Shotgun has brought to everyone’s attention a modification for Far Cry that strives to reach the level of graphical detail found in Crysis. Let’s see what Rock, Paper, Shotgun has to say about the Delta Sector mod for Far Cry.

The trees are sadly not destructible, but the tall grass waves prettily and there’s a ton of incidental detail such as falling leaves, flocks of birds and butterflies. I left the mod running during a quiet scene while I went to make my fourteenth coffee of the day, and upon returning found my normally manic kitten sat motionless in front of my monitor, mesmerised by the gentle sway and flutter of the verdant vista. I’ll confess to having done the same myself for a few minutes.

As a game, it’s an odd’un. Of course it’s an FPS using Far Cry’s mechanics, and a narratively bankrupt one at that (plus talk of ‘aircrafts’ makes me wince), but the substitution of FC’s tropical beaches for Euro-forests changes the play-style quite a bit. There’s not much call for stealth – enemies fall, somewhat mercifully after Crysis’ ultro-Koreans, after just a couple of well-placed bullets – but the challenge is spotting them in the first place. The vegetation is so dense and their armour so tree-coloured that you’re forced into a unfamiliar and often thrilling degree of awareness and caution.

The mod is only three levels large, but well worth if you happen to have Far Cry still installed and wish for a little visual splendor. You can check out the Delta Sector for yourself by visiting the mod’s home page. In case you were curious: Yes, there is an option to view the site in English.

Gearbox’s Randy Pitchford, in speaking with Eurogamer, stated that there will be a demo for Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway released at some point, he just isn’t sure on when!

“We are 100 per cent certain there will be a demo for Xbox 360, 99 per cent certain there will be a demo for PS3, and about 50 per cent certain there will be a demo for PC,” said Pitchford.

“I’m still not certain exactly when the best time to release the demo will be – there are two camps. One camp believes we should continue to focus 100 per cent of our attention on the few remaining issues.

Pitchford then goes on to talk about the Trophy system for the PS3 version:

“We’re still learning about the Trophy system for PS3. By some accounts, Sony will take care of things. By others, we can get involved and do them ourselves. I care about this kind of stuff, so you can bet that we’ll make a decision as Sony releases the Trophy system,” added Pitchford.

“Our game was in certification with Sony prior to them launching the Trophy system, so it’s something we’ll have to re-visit. Or, we could just delay the game again? Joking!”

Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway is on track for a late September release across North America, Europe, and Australia. It will find a home on the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 platforms.

A handful of new screenshots have popped up for the expansion to last year’s graphically demanding title, Crysis. These new shots of Crysis: Warhead show off even more explosions, and a few looks at your hero, Psycho. I’m sure he’s a very nice guy.

Some of these new shots, which come from 4gamer.net are new, and some are just larger versions of old screenshots.

Crysis: Warhead is still on track for a September release and only for the PC.

Community member omicr0n sent us word of a growing new online FPS, Combat Arms. The game is apparently similar in nature to Counter-Strike, it’s completely free to play, and has “thousands” of players daily.

Prepare to drop into an ever-changing theater of conflict, where you are in control of your gameplay – from your fully customizable character, to your lethal arsenal of weapons, to the scenarios you want to experience. Experience fierce battles online with up to 15 of your friends (and enemies) in dense jungles, frozen tundras, industrial wastelands, and more!

Game Features
• Character customization
• Modifiable weapons
• Multiple game mdoes & theaters of conflict
• In-game clan system
• Constant content updates and events
• Web profiles and rankings

If you’ve got the bandwidth, you really should give it a download. The file size is about 442MB and after installing the client, you will need to create a free account with NEXON in order to play.

If someone has already tried the game, feel free to relay your thoughts on the game. I haven’t had a chance to download it yet, but I will be soon!

The Game Critics Awards winners have been announced for the E3 2008 Summit, and Valve isn’t a company to walk away without an award. While Left 4…

Our last review of Jailbreak! came off as overly negative, so after much retooling and hours of replaying, Thomas “Editor321″ Rogers decided…

If you’re one of the few that doesn’t have the top online shooter out there, then now’s your chance to save a few bucks. This weekend…

Valve’s latest “weekend special” focuses on, you guessed it, Counter-Strike! You can pick up Counter-Strike 1.6, Condition Zero, and CS: Source for 50% off the normal price!

• Counter-Strike – Now just $4.99.

• Counter-Strike Source – Now just $9.99.
• Counter-Strike Complete – Now just $14.99.

Feel free to show this off to your friends, your family, and heck, even a few loved ones. Get everyone in on this deal, but don’t wait for too long. This offer is only good until August 11th! Also, keep in mind that prices may vary by region.

Brothers in Arms isn’t just limited to trudging along Hell’s Highway, they’re also able to take the war to the small screen in the Art of War. Brothers in Arms: Art of War is a new mobile game in the BiA series, and 1UP has an early preview.

Brothers in Arms: Art of War never feels particularly gruesome, even when you’re pulling a fellow GI from beneath flaming wreckage or a dying German soldier tosses one last potato–masher grenade at you as you pass by. This is because the game uses a silly Metal Slug-like visual style, where cartoony soldiers appear expressive — but not especially intense.

You can read more about BiA: Art of War over at 1UP.com.