The Best Of Big Download: October 13-19

If you take a look at our weekly roundup feature you might be able to figure out that the Big Download team is a little short of breath; it's been a very busy last seven days, and we can prove it right now:

Exclusive features

• BlizzCon and related features: We have out our hands-on impressions of Diablo III and Starcraft II from the show floor along with coverage of the Diablo III Art and Lore panel. Our Boot Disk feature this week is related to BlizzCon as we look back at Diablo II and our Alt-Tab op-ed column takes a look at how the Activision-Blizzard merger might affect Blizzard the developer
• Reviews: Big Download has our final word on Civilization IV: Colonization and the indie game hit World of Goo.
• Previews: We have an exclusive hands-on preview of the next chapter in American McGee's Grimm
• Interviews: Take your pick this week as we chat with the creators of Project Aftermath, Atmosphir, Sins of a Solar Empire Entrenchment and Blood Bowl along with a quick Q&A about this week's purchase of Gamecock by Southpeak.
• Neverware: Cancelled PC Games Part Two: It's baack. Take a look at the many PC games that you will never get to play.
• Video Game Cosplay Gallery: It's October so that means we are looking at all of the costumes made by fans and pros for their favorite video game characters.
• Mac Monday: Our weekly look at Mac gaming takes a look at the title Droid Assault
• MODMonday: Our weekly mod feature takes a look (again) at a Max Payne total conversion, the Half-Life influenced Max Freeman.
• Big Iron: Our hardware column this week takes a look at how hardware can't improve gameplay.
• Big Ideas: The weekly look at game concepts takes a gander at the double-jump. Really.
• Freeware Friday: Our look at free PC games is all about the impressive strategy game P.U.R.E.
• Virtual Bargain Bin: Our look at cheap PC games is about the classic Ubisoft title Beyond Good and Evil.
• BigCast: After a week off, our BigCast podcast is revamped with a new format. Check it out.
• Contest: You have a chance to win one of three copies of the PC version of Dead Space.

Downloads

• World of Warcraft patches: You want the new 3.0.2. stand alone patches for Blizzard's MMO? We have them in a ton of different languages including the US versions.
• Spore patch: Download the 1.02 patch for EA's alien evolution sim game
• Lego Batman demo: Check out the demo for the family friendly action game from Traveller's Tales and Warner Bros. Interactive
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa demo: Try out this movie based family game demo from Activision.
• World of Goo demo: Try out this sample from the acclaimed indie puzzle title from 2D Guy
• Call of Duty: World at War multiplayer trailer: Check out this glimpse of gameplay from Activision's forthcoming WWII game.
• Far Cry 2: The Jackal trailer: Find out who the main villain is in Ubisoft's upcoming shooter.
• Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 Hellmarch trailer: Listen to the new theme while watching the trailer to the upcoming RTS title.
• Diablo III trailers: Check out not one but two gameplay trailers for Blizzard's upcoming action-RPG.
• Alpha Protocol trailer: It's the first gameplay trailer for this super-spy themed action-RPG from Obsidian and Sega.

News

• EA confirms Spore Creepy and Cute Parts Pack; gameplay expansion in 2009
• Champions Online closed beta test sign-ups begin
• Turbine expands (again) to the west coast
• 36 World of Warcraft accounts at once? This guy says, "Yep!"
• Warcraft IV? Yep, but not for a long while....
• Southpeak acquires Gamecock
• Ghostbusters game now at Atari?
• EA CEO: "99.8 percent of consumers" don't notice DRM
• More Fallout 3 DC subway ads appear
• Stardock updates its game plans, releases teaser shot of fantasy title
• Blizzard's next MMO won't be a World of Warcraft sequel
• No more Team Fortress 2 updates for 2008
• Rumor: EA to revive Syndicate franchise?