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The stoic and thoroughly difficult AI War has received three expansion packs to date: Zenith Remnant, Children of Neinzul, and Light of the Spire. Each one offers new units, scenarios, and AI types to bring to bear For this multi-part review, we'll be examining each expansion pack individually and giving them individual verdicts. After all, each expansion is independent of the others and brings new ships and Ai types unique to that particular expansion. The one thing they have in common, however, is how much the increase the difficulty compared to the original game. These expansions are for the hardest of the hardcore.

Indie darling Arcen Games has created two incredibly stellar titles: the difficult co-op strategy title AI War and the refined puzzler Tidalis. They aren't going to simply sit around and continue updating those two games, however, and their latest announced title is the intriguing A Valley Without Wind. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where monsters roam, supplies are scarce, and magic is rampant, it aims to bring procedural generation to the realm of adventuring. Set out in a direction and explore while interacting with inhabitants in interesting and meaningful ways. Erik Johnson and Chris Park of Arcen Games sat down with us to talk a little more about previous successes, the direction of A Valley Without Wind, and the future of Arcen Games.

Gallery: A Valley Without Wind Screenshots

Indie developer Arcen Games has released the 5.0 version of its space strategy game AI War. This major new update is free for previous owners of the game and re-balances nearly all of the ships in the main game along with AI improvements and more. You can check out the full and extensive patch notes right here. In addition an updated demo for the game is now available to grab at Big Download.

This week also sees the release of the game's third and latest expansion pack Light of the Spire. The $9.99 expansion pack contains a new single player campaign, over 180 new ships and lots more. A demo for the expansion is also available to grab at Big Download. Both the AI War demo and the Light of the Spire demo can be converted into the full versions by purchasing a license key. You can check out a trailer for the expansion pack after the jump.

Download the AI War 5.0 Demo for Windows at Big Download
Download the AI War 5.0 Demo for Mac at Big Download
Download the AI War Light of the Spire Windows Demo at Big Download
Download the AI War Light of the Spire Mac Demo at Big Download

Tis the season for giving and also for savings and indie games developer Arcen Games is giving folks a chance to save a bunch if they buy games from the company. From now until Wednesday, December 1 the developer has put the space strategy game AI War and its many expansion packs on sale for 60 percent off.

That includes the upcoming expansion pack Light of the Spire which you can pre-order for the 60 percent off price and also access the beta version immediately. The sale also covers Arcen Games' puzzle title Tidalis. Some of you may remember that earlier this year the developer was having some financial problems but those issues, at least for the moment, seem to be on the back burner.

Indie game developer Arcen Games launched a major revamp of its space strategy game AI War late in October. This week the developer gave an overall update on the company and its future. First is the expansion pack Children of Neinzul. Pre-orders for the expansion have generated $1,640.80 for the Child's Play charity and Arcen Games' Christopher M. Park states, "We look to be well on our way to hitting our goal of $14,000.00 for the year."

Arcen Games plans to release a new expansion to AI War, Light of the Spire, in the first week of December. However two other planned games, Cayenne and A Valley Without Wind, are "off the table for now" and another upcoming game, the top down adventure title Alden Ridge, will be switching from a hand-made story and levels to one that will generate both via a procedural model. An alpha build of the game is scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2011.

Overall Arcen Games seems to be in a better financial position than it was a couple of months ago with Park stating, "In short, we aren't out of the woods yet, but this past week has been hugely positive for us and things are definitely moving in the right direction at long last."

The indie team at Arcen Games has officially released not one but two products today. One is a revamp of its space strategy game AI War Fleet Command while the other is an expansion pack for AI War. The revamp is officially called AI War 4.0 and it's a free upgrade for those gamers who have purchased the original title.

The new version contains a total graphic overall thanks to a switch to the Unity 3D engine. It also has remastered soundtracks, over 140 new ships, a new user interface, and lots more changes and improvements. It also adds support for the Mac OS.

The expansion pack, Children of Neinzul, adds another 36 new ships to the game along with other new content and features. As we previously reported, 100 percent of the profits from the expansion pack, which is priced at just $3.99, will go to the Child's Play charity.

Earlier this month, indie game developer Arcen Games announced that the company was in financial troubles due to lower than expected sales of its game last summer. Now PC Gamer's web site has gotten more info on the company's finances via an email from Arcen Games' founder Chris Park.

The note provides some insight as to both the revenues and the expenses that at least one indie developer has to deal with. In short, sales of the developer's space strategy game AI War were generating solid profits in 2009 and through April of 2010. However, revenues for the company went sharply down in the summer dispite the developer also releasing a new game, the puzzle title Tidalis. Park states that at the moment, "that leaves us with about $15k sitting in our bank account." compared to over $30,000 in the bank since last October.

In the meantime, the official Arcen Games web site has posted up some hopeful news, stating that after its call to arms earlier this month sales have picked up. The site also stated that the company itself is debt free and will still be around; the danger is that the four full time team members might have to find other jobs to support themselves. Finally the 4.0 version of AI War could be going into public beta testing later this week.

Download the AI War: Fleet Command Demo
Download Tidalis Demo (420 MB)
Download Tidalis Mac Demo (432 MB)

One of the more well known indie game developers, Arcen Games, has put out the word on its web site that it is currently dealing with some financial issues. In a post today on the company's official web site, company founder Chris Park announced that "if sales don't pick up then we run out of money sometime in November."

What happened? Park says sales of its space strategy game AI War: Fleet Command and its expansion pack have dropped down well below expectations over the summer months. Also the company's most recent game, the puzzle title Tidalis, "has sold only a few thousand copies so far, despite largely euphoric reviews and player response." according to Park. The company currently plans to re-launch AI War using the Unity 3D engine in October along with the previously announced AI War: Children of Neinzul expansion pack. Park says he still plans to donate the proceeds of the expansion pack to the Child's Play charity.

[Via Rock Paper Shotgun]

Download the AI War: Fleet Command Demo
Download Tidalis Demo (420 MB)
Download Tidalis Mac Demo (432 MB)

The folks at Arcen Games have been hard at work continuing AI War. Once of the sleeper hits of last year, it's a stellar strategy title that builds design around cheating AI, as opposed to simply having it there. However, they are not just working on AI War's expansions. Recently, they released a new game that is far outside of what one would expect from an indie strategy darling. The game is Tidalis, and it is a casual puzzle game in the same rough ballpark as Bejeweled. Tidalis is not just for casual players, however. Under its simple match-3 exterior hides a game of incredible depth and complexity that will intrigue players from every camp.

Download the Tidalis PC demo right here on Big Download!
Download the Tidalis Mac demo right here on Big Download!

The indie-made space strategy game AI War: Fleet Command from developer Arcen Games has already spawned one expansion pack but this week the developer announced the second expansion for the game. AI War: Children of Neinzul will contain 36 new ships, six new AI types, two new map styles, three new music tracks and more. The expansion is currently in beta but it can be pre-ordered for $3.99.

All of that is newsworthy in of itself but here's the cool bit. Arcen Games has pledged to donate 100 percent of the proceeds from Children of Neinzul to the Child's Play children's hospital charity. The goal is to raise $14,000 for the charity by the end of 2010 but any proceeds after 2010 will also go to Child's Play as well.

[Via Blue's News]