Hearts of Iron III

release date: World: 07 August 2009

USA: 07 August 2009

Europe: 07 August 2009

play modes: single / multiplayer

multiplayer: LAN / Internet

game language: English

age requirements: everyone

suggested system requirements:
Pentium 4 3 GHz, 2 GB RAM, graphic card 512 MB (GeForce 8800 or better), 4 GB HDD, Windows 2000/XP/Vista.

The next Grand Strategy title from the Paradox Interactive development team is the third instalment in the critically acclaimed Hearts of Iron series.

The Hearts of Iron series has become renowned for being the biggest, most detailed and complete strategic game series on World War 2 ever made. Hearts of Iron III will follow that tradition closely while focusing on satisfying veteran players through a multitude of brand new features and systems, including a huge map with more than 14,000 land and sea provinces.

Features
Play as any nation from 1936 to 1948, more than 150 countries to choose from.
Control the oceans with aircraft carriers, submarines and battleships and use your air force to defend your skies, support your naval and ground forces, and to bomb your enemies
Thousands of historically accurate real-world military commanders and politicians.
Realistic military command AI with unprecedented levels of interaction
In-depth diplomatic and political system.
Historical accuracy combined with an unparalleled level of freedom of choice
Customize your divisions in detail with more than 20 types of brigades
Government-in-exile makes it possible to continue to struggle from abroad with underground movements and uprisings against the oppressing power.
Strategic warfare system makes it more important to defend the skies and oceans against foreign attacks; leaving cities open to enemy bombing will now be devastating.
A completely new intelligence system, with several types of intelligence sources, makes it possible to get information about enemy reserves and troop movements.
Assign troops to “theatres” on the map to fight two-front wars more successfully.
The new AI system and more detailed map will allow for more strategic decisions.
Flexible technology system with hundreds of categories, and unlimited research.
Highly realistic historical order of battles.
The first realistic logistic system ever in a strategy game.

Ashes Cricket 2009

release date: World: 07 August 2009

Europe: 07 August 2009

play modes: single / multiplayer

multiplayer: Internet / split screen | number of players: 1-4

game language: English

age requirements: everyone | media: 1 DVD

suggested system requirements:
Pentium 4 3 GHz, 1.5 GB RAM, graphic card 512 MB (GeForce 8800 or better), 3 GB HDD, Windows XP/Vista SP1.

Providing gamers with the most authentic Ashes experience possible without having to don their whites, Ashes Cricket 2009 is fully licensed by Cricket Australia, the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) and the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club, the world's most famous cricket club and owner of the Ashes urn), providing the game with all the official players, kit, stadia – including Lords and The Brit Oval – and equipment from this year’s Ashes Series.

Coming from the home of video game cricket, Ashes Cricket 2009 is set to build on the heritage that Codemasters has enjoyed with its best-selling Ricky Ponting series and will continue to lead the field with great batting, bowling and fielding gameplay and authenticity that made the series a huge hit with cricket fans the world over. The title is being produced by Codemasters and in development at Transmission Games (Ricky Ponting 2007 Pressure Play (PSP)).

Delivering all the exciting, athletic, skillful and technical elements of the sport, the game’s comprehensive ‘Ashes’ mode will feature all five Tests played out at carefully detailed recreations of each authentic venue. In addition, gamers will also be able to play Test matches, One Day Internationals, 20 over games and a series of challenge modes. The high definition current generation versions will feature full online multiplayer as well as support for local multiplayer games.

Fallout 3: Mothership Zeta

release date: World: 03 August 2009

USA: 03 August 2009

Europe: 03 August 2009

play modes: single player

game language: English

age requirements: 18+

suggested system requirements:
Core 2 Duo 2.8 GHz, 2 GB RAM, graphic card 512 MB (GeForce 8800 or better), Windows XP/Vista.

see official website

Defy hostile alien abductors and fight your way off of the massive Mothership Zeta, orbiting Earth miles above the Capital Wasteland. Mothership Zeta takes Fallout 3 in an entirely new direction – outer space. Meet new characters and join with them in a desperate bid to escape the Aliens’ clutches. To do so, you’ll wield powerful new weapons, like the Alien Atomizer, Alien Disintegrator, and Drone Cannon, and deck yourself out in brand new outfits, like the Gemini-Era Spacesuit and even Samurai Armor.
Story:

A strange Alien signal is being broadcast throughout the Capital Wasteland, originating from a crashed UFO. Is it a distress call, or something far more sinister? That question is answered when you find yourself beamed aboard an enormous Alien spacecraft, with only one alternative – to fight your way to the bridge of the ship and secure your escape.
Key Features:
Find and exploit new and destructive alien technology, like the Alien Atomizer and Drone Cannon.
Explore the vast Mothership and learn the secrets of the Aliens’ master plan.
Thwart the Aliens’ attempt to stop your escape, and take over the Alien ship before it wreaks havoc on the unsuspecting Earth below.
Fight against the Alien Invaders, their robot drones, and turn their own horrible experiments against them.
Ally yourself with an unexpected array of characters, both from the Capital Wasteland and from Earth ’s past.

Bookworm Adventures 2

release date: World: 30 July 2009

game language: English

age requirements: everyone

suggested system requirements:
Pentium 4 1.2 GHz, 512 MB RAM, graphic card 128 MB (GeForce FX 5200 or better), 90 MB HDD, Windows XP.

In the Bookworm Adventures series, players take on the role of Lex the bookworm, leading him through a series of well-known books and fictional characters which Lex must overcome by forming words from an ever-changing set of letter tiles. Making longer and more complex words gives Lex greater fighting prowess, while special "gem" letter tiles offer a range of power-up effects of their own. Various potions and treasures give Lex added power, defense, health, and dozens of other persistent or one-time abilities. In the new sequel, wild card "rainbow" tiles, 20 new treasures and zany literary "companions" - fictional animal allies including Mother Goose and the Cheshire Cat - all provide players with even more ways to spell S-U-C-C-E-S-S. Three new mini-games augment those from the original BWA, offering a total of six different "side quest" activities to earn additional potions and power-ups.

Key Features:

* 3 all-new books of ten chapters each: "Fractured Fairytales," "The Monkey King" and "Astounding Planets"!
* All-new infinite Replay mode! Pick a book, fight foes and score big points!
* 6 mini-games, including all-new "Mutant Words," "Golden Coins" and "Word Up"!
* Battle more than 130 ferocious new foes while wielding over 20 terrific new treasures!
* Companions! Literary figures join Lex and battle by his side!
* Rainbow Tiles! New potent wild card tiles allow you to build the gigantic words of your dreams!
* Arena mode! Spell quickly to defeat your toughest enemies!
* Achievements - earn trophies, points and badges!

Combat Mission: Shock Force - British Forces

release date: World: 29 July 2009

play modes: single / multiplayer

multiplayer: LAN / Internet | number of players: 1-2

game language: English

age requirements: everyone

suggested system requirements:
Pentium 4 2 GHz, 512 MB RAM, graphic card 128 MB (GeForce 4 Ti4200 or better), 1 GB HDD, Windows XP.

see official website

Shock Force - British Forces is the second module in the contemporary warfare Combat Mission Shock Force family of games.

Britain fields one of the most powerful armed forces in the world today, which Combat Mission fans will soon experience for themselves. The full range of British weaponry is brought to life with the same amazing level of detail found in the previous Combat Mission titles.

Everything from the new version of the L85A2 rifle to the Challenger 2 with all the latest upgrades is included in order to give a full accounting of the capabilities of the modern British Army. Play with them on their own or as part of multi-national joint task forces using any of Shock Forces' other units. As with the Marines Module, all new scenarios and a campaign are included for exciting play right out of the box, before digging in and using the powerful editor or sharing scenarios with other Shock Force gamers. New voices (multiple accents), sound effects, and game features round out the game experience. Oh, and of course some great surprises which will be revealed as the release date nears!

Aliens in the Attic

release date: World: 28 July 2009

USA: 28 July 2009

Europe: 07 August 2009
age requirements: everyone

suggested system requirements:
not specified

They Came from Upstairs is based on the movie of the same name, scheduled for release on July 31st, 2009 and created by the writer of Madagascar and
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit. Ashley Tisdale of High School Musical fame is among the cast.

Set in the best tradition of movies like Gremlins, TNMT and The Goonies, this adventure-comedy is about a group of kids on a family vacation with their parents in a creepy mansion.

About the game:
The gameplay in this platform game focuses on the viewpoint of the four
funny Alien characters.

The Aliens’ thirst of conquest will lead them from their planet to Earth and their first point of call is the kids’ residence in Maine. The Aliens use weapons to mind control grown-ups and use them for their own gain. Their technology is ineffective against children however and they will need all their wit to take over the vacation home and finally, planet Earth.

FEATURES
Based on the license of the full feature movie by 20th Century Fox,
out on July 31st, 2009! See http://www.theycamefromupstairs.com/ for more details
The game gives a new perspective on the movie: the same story, but from the aliens’ perspective
Four different characters to play with, each with
their own unique abilities
Switch between the four alien characters on the fly
A big country house transformed into a battlefield, from the roof to the basement, from the attic to the venting system, from the living room to the garden
15 exciting levels in 4 different settings
Fast-paced action, suitable for the whole family

East India Company

release date: World: 28 July 2009

USA: 28 July 2009

Europe: 28 July 2009

play modes: single / multiplayer

multiplayer: LAN / Internet | number of players: 1-8

game language: English

age requirements: 12+ | media: 1 DVD

suggested system requirements:
Core 2 Duo 2 GHz, 2 GB RAM, graphic card 512 MB (GeForce 7800 or better), 6 GB HDD, Windows XP/Vista.

see official website

In East India Company, players will enjoy building the World's most powerful trading empire and engaging in fierce battles in both single player and multiplayer modes, all within a breathtaking cinematic environment.

Players will fight, manage and rule their trading empires from Europe to the Far East with eight nationalities to choose from: British, Dutch, French, Danish, Portuguese, Swedish, Italian or Spanish.

Starting modestly, you will build your fleet, establish connections to far away countries, and keep rival nations at bay. Choose from a wide array of ship classes, including a variety of transport and military vessels. Create diverse fleets and assign each of them specific trading routes. Control and upgrade well situated ports as you form your strategy for domination.

Conflicts and wars are inevitable. When hostile fleets engage each other, the spectacular naval battles are fought on a real-time tactical level. Devastating broadsides are fired with a deafening roar and cannon balls tear through enemy ships and their crew. For greater tactical depth, you can, at any point, take direct command of any of your ships and feel the battle close up!

Spectacular cinematic and epic naval battles
Two Command Modes: Give orders to all your ships in RTS mode or take the helm
of a single ship in deck level
Unique combination of war and trading
Eight playable nations: England, France, Holland, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Italy
and Spain
Over 10 realistic ship types; from small sloops and cutters to the East Indiaman
and warships
Realistic yet fast-paced naval combat
Hire fleet commanders who will gain new skills and increase the abilities of your
fleets
Take over ports and protect your shipping routes to create the largest trading
empire

Just Changing The Bulb

Priorities Are Important; Sorry Grandpa

Almost. Got. It.