sanctum posts

It's another fairly slow week for new PC game releases but there's still some interesting titles coming out, including the launch of a new MMO, a RTS game with weather effects and an expansion pack for a popular action-RPG game.

Magicka: Vietnam - This is the first mini-expansion pack for the sleeper hit action-RPG from developer Arrowhead Game Studios and publisher Paradox Interactive. Yes for $4.99 the game will add a new campaign where the wizards fight off creatures in the Vietnam jungle with spells and guns while trying to rescure POWs, Rambo style. Look for a new challenge map to be added to the game as well.

As promised on Wednesday, the sci-fi mix of first person shooter and tower defense game Sanctum is now available for pre-order via Steam. The game from indie developer Coffee Stain Studios was first released as a free stand alone UDK-based game but will now be a full Unreal Engine 3-based title. You can purchase the game for $14.99 or get a two pack bundle for $24.99.

From now until the game's release on April 15, the prices for both Sanctum and the Sanctum two-pack are 10 percent off. Also players who pre-order the title will get instant access to the game's beta version.

Back in June 2010 Big Download posted an interview with the head of Coffee Stain Studios about Sanctum, its mix of the shooter and tower defense game genres. The team built a stand alone demo of the game using Epic Games' free UDK tools. Today Epic and Coffee Stain Studios announced that Sanctum will debut as a full stand alone commerical game on Steam.

The game will debut in a beta version on Thursday with the final version due to be released on April 15. In addition Epic announced today that Coffee Stain Studios has signed a five year agreement to use Epic's full Unreal Engine 3 technology which will be used by the commercial version of Sanctum as well as other projects.

[Via email press release]

Download Sanctum UDK Demo (323 MB)

Earlier this week we spotlighted Bounty Arms, a game made with Epic Games' Unreal Development Kit that allows anyone to make a stand alone game for free using Unreal Engine 3. Now we take a look at another of these projects. It's called Sanctum, and it's a unique blend of first person shooter with the tower defense genre.

Big Download got a chance to chat with Anton Westbergh, the head of the game's developer Coffee Stain Studios. He tells us more about the origin of the game, how it was to work on the UDK and their plans to turn Sanctum into a commercial title.

Download Sanctum UDK Demo (323 MB)
Download Unreal Development Kit (762 MB)

Developed by Coffee Stain Studios using the Unreal Development Kit (UDK), Sanctum is a sci-fi themed first-person shooter and tower defense game. Players must protect their hometown from invading hordes of hostile aliens using structures and upgradeable handheld weaponry.

Download Sanctum UDK Demo (323 MB)
Download Unreal Development Kit (762 MB)
Check out all Unreal Development Kit related Downloads