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Paradox Interactive unveils Hearts of Iron 4, Norse RPG Runemaster
Straight from the halls of the ongoing Paradox Convention in Miami comes word of two new games from development studio Paradox Interactive: a new entry in the fan-favorite Hearts of Iron series and a roleplaying game dubbed "Runemaster." Hearts of Iron 4 is a grand strategy game focused on World War II. Like Paradox's other grand strategy offerings, Hearts of Iron 4 is said to offer players "the most authentic real-time simulation of World War II to date." Little is known of the game beyond that quote, though based on prior Hearts of Iron games we expect an exacting attention to detail, reams of historical data and the freedom to control nearly any faction involved in the second World War. Runemaster, by contrast, is a departure for Paradox Interactive. Instead of the strategy games it usually produces, Paradox has instead set its sights on a roleplaying game based on Norse mythology. According to the developer's short description, Runemaster will feature "[p]rocedural maps and quests" which should keep the experience fresh longer than pre-scripted areas and missions. "We're always playing RPGs in our spare time and discovering new things we love about them as a game genre; it was only natural that sooner or later we'd have to design our own," stated studio manager Johan Andersson. "Runemaster is the result, and we know our fans will love it." Both Hearts of Iron 4 and Runemaster are in relatively early stages of development. Neither has a release date as of yet, but more information can be found on the barebones websites Paradox recently launched for each game.
Impulse adds The Saboteur and more to online store
Look, we know you've been waiting with bated breath for all those Hearts of Iron 3 content packs to arrive on Impulse, so we were glad to tell you that they've finally arrived. Sure, so did The Saboteur and X-COM, but we know you're not concerned. We suppose it's possible you'll tire yourself out with the new Hears of Iron 3 content to the point that you'll need a break, so we should probably point out that a mess of other games made it onto Stardock's digital distribution platform this week. Being the good friends we are, we've dropped the whole list just after the break, just for you!
Europa Universalis dev offers up game engine for free
There's only one thing better than getting something for nothing. However, since it's unlikely that someone is going to deliver us a life-size Toblerone, we'll settle for Paradox Interactive's news that the Swedish game company is releasing its game engine into the wild as a free download over GamersGate.Codenamed "Europa," the engine was the same used to develop games in Paradox's Hearts of Iron series and Europa Universalis II (pictured). According to Paradox, the company plans to set "a few minimum criteria" for the engine's use, and games created using the technology will be made available for sale over the GamersGate download service -- meaning that for those indie devs looking for a 'cheap as free' solution to make their hard-core PC strategy game dreams a reality, this could be it.
