matrix-games posts

What? A new strategy game that's set during World War II? What will game developers think of next. Actually Team Assault: Baptism of Fire is looking like it will stand out from the crowd of WWII titles. This is a 3D turn-based tactical strategy game from developer Zeal Game Studio.

The game, which is being published by Matrix Games, will feature close combat gameplay with a lot of customization features to make sure your fighting squad is the best it can be. Look for realism features like "...weapon accuracy and penetration, cover versus weapon penetration, recoil, encumbrance and wounded soldiers." The game is due out sometime in June.

As promised a couple of weeks ago, publisher Matrix Games has now released Armada 2526: Supernova, the expansion pack to 2009's space strategy game from developer Ntronium Games via download and also in a boxed version via mail order.

The expansion pack adds a number of new planets and star systems to the game along with a number of new planetary features such as tachyon storms and psychic plants. A new trade system will be added to the game as well along with two new alien races and 50 new technologies. You can get the expansion pack now for $14.99 via download.

Space strategy fans may be a bit of a niche audience but they are extremely loyal. Today publisher Matrix Games announced plans to release Armada 2526 Supernova, the first expansion pack for the 2009 released PC game from developer Ntronium Games.

The expansion pack will adds new planets and star systems to the game along with new planetary features such as tachyon storms or (our personal favorite) psychic plants. A new trade system will be added to the game as well along with two new alien races and 50 new technologies. A release date for Armada 2526 Supernova has yet to be announced.

Last March Matrix Games released, with little fanfare, a new 4X space strategy game called Distant Worlds. The game from New Zealand-based developer Code Force has since generated a solid fan following and today the publisher released the game's first expansion pack via download.

The expansion, Distant Worlds – Return of the Shakturi, add two new alien races to the original game, an expanded tech tree and research system, interface improvements and lots more. The expansion pack is currently being sold for $5 off its normal price ($19.99 via download or $29.99 for a boxed copy) until January 4. The original game is also being sold at a discounted rate ($26.99 via download and $36.99 for a boxed copy) for the same time period.

[Via Blue's News]

You can't get rid of it. You can't even contain it. It's the PC game sales events that keep popping up. Today we have some more to let you know about. One is Ubisoft's daily sales event. For today only they have put Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 on the price chopping block, cutting it down to just $5.

Over at Matrix Games' web site, the strategy game publisher is being especially magnanimous. From now all the way to January 10, most games from the publisher have had their prices cut down 30 percent. Some have even deeper price cuts such as Conquest! Medieval Realms which has a 50 percent price cut.

While the PC game industry is still a viable way for developers to release game titles, it looks like the industry is moving more and more to a digital download model versus selling boxed copies of CD and DVD-ROMs in retail stores. In that kind of environment, niche titles like strategy and war games are getting less and less of a presence in stores.

That's one of the reasons behind the announcement late last week that two smaller publishers, Slitherine and Matrix Games, would be merging their companies. Both publishers have long track records in releasing strategy, war game and historical titles on the PC. Big Download got a chance to ask some questions via email to Slitherine's director JD McNeil about the merger. McNeil is now chairman of the holding company that was formed as a result of the merger of Slitherine and Matrix Games.

Both publishers have mostly released games in the strategy and war game genres. The combined company (which apparently doesn't have a name yet) will have a total of 150 games in their portfolio and will release 25 new games in the next 12 months. Specific financial details of the merger have not yet been revealed. However, there are no plans for layoffs in the newly combined company. More details are expect to be released next week.

In the early 1990s there was a space strategy game released for the PC called Armada 2525. It didn't get as much attention as other similar games like Master of Orion but it was designed by R.T. Smith who later went on to become one of the major designers and programmers for The Creative Assembly's Total War series.

A few years ago, Smith decided to leave The Creative Assembly and formed Ntronium Games. This week the company's first product was released via publisher Matrix Games. Oddly enough the game is titled Armada 2526 and is described as a 'spiritual successor" to Armada 2525. The game combines turn based game play via a strategy map with full 3D ship-to-ship battles. The game is now available to download from Matrix Games for $39.99. You can also purchase a boxed copy for $49.99.

Matrix Games and Australian Design Group (www.a-d-g.com.au) are proud to announce that another update is now available for the official computer adaptation of the popular turn-based Napoleonic grand strategy game, Empires in Arms. The comprehensive update brings the game up to version v1.03.14. The update addresses dozens more issues that have become evident since the major v1.02 update in addition to adding multiple AI improvements and a few other overall enhancements.

Empires in Arms is the official licensed computer version of Australian Design Group's classic board game. Empires in Arms is a seven player game of grand strategy during the Napoleonic period of 1805-1815. Playable either solitaire against the AI or by e-mail. Corps level with full diplomatic options to allow players complete freedom to fight it out for control of Europe any way they want to.

Download the Empires in Arms v1.03.14 Patch (17 MB)

Developer Australian Design Group and publisher Matrix Games have released a new patch for Empires in Arms, upgrading the game to version 1.02. The update, which the official press release describes as "major," fixes over 150 issues that have plagued the game (and its players) since its release.

According to the press release, "A focused effort has been made to address as many issues reported since the original release as possible and [version] 1.02 represents a significant improvement in play quality in both AI and multi-player PBEM modes."

Download Empires in Arms 1.02 from Big Download.