stalin-vs-martians posts

As we enter the month of May and get ever closer to E3, PC gamers can grab a WWII stealth game and a movie-based action game in stores and download a goofy RTS title and an RPG expansion.

Velvet Assassin: Replay Studios and Southpeak Games give us this long awaited stealth action title set in WWII. Playing Violet Sumner, the player tries to sabotage the evil Nazis' plans in a variety of missions. Killing Nazis is of course part of the game but there's also lots of sneaking around and using the shadows to cover your presence.

They really mean it this time (we hope)! After announcing an April 20 release date for Stalin vs Martians and then delaying the game at the very last minute, publisher Paradox Interactive has now announced that the downloadable arcade-style RTS will now be released on Wednesday, April 29.

The game with the terrific title is being handled under Paradox's new Mezmer Games label for independently developed games that are released exclusively via digital download networks. Several download services like Steam, Gamersgate, Direct2Drive and Impulse are are still giving gamers a way to purchase Stalin Vs Martians for 20 percent off its normal $19.99 price before its release.

Whoops! It looks like one of the games in our release week feature won't be coming out this week after all. Paradox Interactive just sent over word that today's planned digital download release of the arcade RTS game Stalin Vs Martians won't happen after all. The game has now been pushed back to launch sometime later in April

The press announcement did not give a solid reason for the delay, saying that it was pushed back " . . . due to the long march across the Siberian tundra." However the game's pre-order discount of 20 percent is still in effect and will continue until the game is finally released.

There's almost no activity on the retail front for new PC games but there are two interesting downloadable titles that are launching as well.

Cryostasis: Delayed from last week, Russsian-based 1C Company teams with Aspyr to bring this unusual FPS game to the US. Players must investigate what happened on board a nuclear icebreaker with temperature becoming a key gameplay aspect. Players with Nvidia graphics chips in their PC can check out more advanced PhysX based game physics effects.

As we work for the weekend, we all need a second chance to go off the deep end . . . and find some great PC game deals. Over at GoGamer.com the have a number of retail box copies that are for sale, including Overlord for just $5.90 and Mirror's Edge for just $19.90.

Direct2Drive has a few titles of interest that are on sale until Sunday including Major League Baseball 2K9 for just $9.99. The recent Midway action-driving game Wheelman is on sale "for a limited time" for $29.99. GamersGate has Kane and Lynch: Dead Men on sale for just $14.95 this weekend. They also have the upcoming RTS game Stalin Vs. Martians on sale for 20 percent off before its release next week. Finally Steam's weekend sales deal is for Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009 which has had its price reduced 50 percent to $14.99 this weekend.

Yes you are basically playing the Stalin role as you command the Soviet Union's army in 1942 against a massive invasion. Not against the Nazis but by goofy looking Martians coming to take over the world. The game itself is designed to be more of an arcade experience than a deep RTS game. But you can't beat the whole idea behind the game which was made by three development teams (Black Wing Foundation, Dreamlore and N-Game).

The press release also mentions that trailers for the game have been a huge hit on YouTube: we can't imagine why but check out an example after the jump.

While Paradox Interactive first made this announcement a couple of weeks ago, this week the publisher officially launched the web site for their Mezmer Games division. The new publishing arm is designed to give independent game developers a way to release their titles via digital download.

The company's web site has also launched which in addition to promoting the games themselves is designed to be a community site for people to discuss the company and their titles. Currently Mezmer games has two titles set for release this spring; the quirky RTS game Stalin Vs Martians and the fantasy turn based strategy game Legio.

Paradox Interactive continues to be successful as a publisher of PC-only game titles and this week the company held a press event for the European media. Thankfully IGN has a press release from Paradox which gives info on the company's future games.

In addition to new info on Majesty II and Hearts of Iron III, Paradox revealed that a multiplayer expansion for the acclaimed open world RPG Mount & Blade is in the world. The untitled expansion from developer Taleworlds will add support for up to 32 players in team deathmatch mode. Improvements to the game's graphics and AI will also be added.

In addition, Paradox announced the launch of a new brand, Mezmer Games, which is "designed to provide promising independent developers a digital distribution outlet for their games in addition to marketing support." One of the games that will be released under the banner is the quirky RTS game Stalin Vs. Martians.

Ripped from the headlines of the Area 51 Tribune circa 1939, comes a real-time strategy title with one helluva strange twist. It's Stalin vs. Martians! Sure, we told you about it earlier in the week but just in case you need a moment to compose yourself; feel free. Ready? Great.

The first screens of Stalin vs. Martians have dropped and while it promises to be nothing like a traditional RTS it definitely looks the part. In development by three game dev studios; Black Wing Foundation, Dreamlore and N-Game and due for release late in 2008, Stalin vs. Martians might be the RTS that brings gamers afraid of the genre into the shallow end of the pool.

It's a game that gets your attention just by the title alone. Stalin vs. Martians? You think to yourself, "This has to be a joke right?" Apparently not. This new RTS title is a collaboration between three game dev studios; Black Wing Foundation, Dreamlore and N-Game and is due for release late in 2008.

One of the reasons the title is so odd is that for some people it might be considered a "villain vs. villain" game. Alien invaders from Mars show up in the middle of World War II in Siberia and start attacking the Soviet Union. The nation's leader, Stalin himself, decides to take control of the troops personally and you, with his guidence, take on the alien threat with a group of Red Army troops. The press release promises that the gameplay will be fun as well. We will see.