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Classic Duke Nukem adventures headline Indie Royale Mixer Bundle
Dubbed the "Mixer Bundle," Indie Royale's latest collection features a wildly disparate selection of games united only by their sizable discounts. Included in the Bundle are Cherry Tree High Comedy Club, Alien Spidy, Miner Wars 2081, Dollar Dash, The Journey Down: Chapter 1, Cherry Tree High Comedy Club, Foreign Legion: Multi Massacre, Final Slam 2 and Party of Sin. Additionally, the Bundle stretches the modern definition of "indie" a bit to include both Duke Nukem and its sequel, Duke Nukem 2, games developed and published by Apogee Software at a time when developers releasing games independently was still the industry standard. As with all Indie Royale bundles, the price you pay for these games hinges on the average amount paid by other customers. As of now, all of this can be yours for as little as $4.78. If you decide to pay more for the Bundle, know that any purchases above $7 will be rewarded with a copy of Darkman007's "Chiptunes - 2014" album in either .mp3 or .flac format. [Image: 3D Realms]
Rise of the Triad review: Everything old is still old
Interceptor Entertainment's bang-up job of recreating Rise of the Triad for the modern era unavoidably highlights some of the original's flaws, and serves as a stark reminder that certain relics just can't live up to our warm, fuzzy memories. Rise of the Triad starts off fabulously well. A stylized comic book opening introduces us to the five members of H.U.N.T. - the High-risk United Nations Task force - after which we're dropped into a top-down map of San Nicolas, an island that's been taken over by a mysterious organization known only as the Triad. The name of the game: Infiltrate, investigate and blast the holy hell out of everything that moves.%Gallery-176985%
Rise of the Triad returns on July 31, pre-orders get Throwback Pack
Rise of the Triad is due on July 31 and available for pre-order now, for $15, through Steam, GOG, Green Man Gaming and original developer Apogee's own store. Pre-orders get the Apogee Throwback Pack for free. The pack usually runs $10 and includes Rise of the Triad: Dark War, the Extreme Rise of the Triad expansion pack, Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold and Blake Stone: Planet Strike. Apogee published the Blake Stone series starting in 1993 with the shareware version of Aliens of Gold, from developer JAM Productions. It's a first-person space adventure romp that uses the Wolfenstein 3D engine and follows British Intelligence agent Blake Stone as he takes out interstellar threats. This year's Rise of the Triad is a revival of the 1994 shareware shooter from Apogee Software. The revamp comes care of Apogee and Interceptor Entertainment, with a single-player campaign, multiplayer modes, a level editor and a brand new heavy metal soundtrack. Rise on.
Rise of the Triad 60% off on GOG
Apogee's 1994 first-person shooter, Rise of the Triad: Dark War, is 60% off on GOG.com today. Those gearing up for the eventual return of the game courtesy of Interceptor Entertainment, as announced at QuakeCon this year, have until 10:59am GMT tomorrow to pick up the original game for $2.39.The DRM-free download comes with the game's soundtrack and seven extra levels, so saving $3.60 never felt better (especially if you buy a burrito with that extra money like we will).
How a level is built in Rise of the Triad
We imagine this is actually how a lot of Unreal Engine 3 games are built, actually. Still, this time lapse video shows off some of the tricks that couldn't be pulled with the Wolfenstein 3D engine that ran the original Rise of the Triad. Tricks like, you know, round surfaces.%Gallery-163733%
Rise of the Triad's return will cost $14.99; free DLC planned
The return of the PC classic Rise of the Triad from developer Interceptor Entertainment will be sold digitally for $14.99 and offer all post-launch DLC for free, the dev announced during QuakeCon 2012.Marketing director Dave Oshry told Joystiq the priority was being faithful to the original Rise of the Triad in the core game, with add-on content allowing the Interceptor team to go crazy once the remake is finished.Oshry says that co-op has been one of the most requested additions players at QuakeCon have asked for, so it's now on the minds of the developers as something to pursue in the future. Even weapons came up as a possible addition – such as shotguns, which were not featured in the 1994 original – but part of their inclusion would depend on player interest. As far as Interceptor is concerned, the sky is the limit, and the developer plans to support the game well after launch.As if running down a checklist of oft-requested features from PC players, the game will also be DRM-free, completely moddable, run at 60 frames per second and have plenty of adjustable settings to let the game run on older hardware.An exact release date has yet to be revealed; however, during a QuakeCon panel, the developer promised it would arrive "late this year or early next year ... at the latest, early 2013."%Gallery-161630%
Apogee opens online store, peddling its classics
Shareware pioneer Apogee Software has announced the launch of a new online store, offering a handful of Apogee's most well-known games, specifically Duke Nukem 3D, Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project, Rise of the Triad and both Blake Stone titles, all of which can be had for $5.99 each. Savvy readers may recognize that the same lineup has been available via GoG.com for some time now. The Apogee store manages to offer a better deal though, thanks to its "Legacy Pack" which bundles all five games for $20. The bundle also includes the "Extreme Rise of the Triad" expansion and ... the Duke Nukem: Critical Mass soundtrack. Also, until June 20, the store is running a Father's Day promotion, offering the Legacy Pack for only $15. Just use the promo code "Father" during checkout. The current slate of available games is apparently just the beginning, as Apogee plans to revisit its beginnings as a digital distributor by "providing a platform for new developers to access a global market."
Duke Nukem: Critical Mass for DS is apparently still happening
You may remember Duke Nukem Trilogy as a trailer and nothing else, but allow us to refresh your memory about this particular illusory Duke Nukem game: it was a set of three Duke adventures announced by Deep Silver and Apogee for PSP and DS. But then the games lost their Duke license ... or something, and the first one, Duke Nukem: Critical Mass, was being developed as "Extraction Point: Alien Shootout." And now it's back as Duke Nukem: Critical Mass, and coming out in Europe on April 8. Publisher Deep Silver tells Joystiq that it is still slated for release in North America, with a release window around May. In addition, Apogee tweeted that "The Duke Nukem License was never yanked. Apogee owns the agreement for the license, not some third party work for hire developer." Faced with that curveball, we've asked Apogee and Deep Silver exactly what happened, and exactly what is happening. All we can say -- and this is advice that's backed up by recent events -- is don't trust anything Duke-related until you see a game in a store.
GoG sale isn't forever, classic Duke Nukem bundle discounted
It may be a while until you get your grubby paws on Duke Nukem's latest adventure (if ever), but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to enjoy some irrelevant '90s humor from the silver-tongued action star.Until the end of the day on June 1, Good Old Games is selling both Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition and Duke Nukem Manhattan Project for 25 percent off -- bundled for $8.98. If you've already purchased one of the discounted titles prior to this promotion, GOG is offering a discount on the second title ($1.50 off for $4.49). Time to kick ass, chew bubble gum and remember Duke had a pretty good history.
Apogee and Deep Silver want your best Duke impressions
Tired of hearing about Duke Nukem these past couple of weeks? In all honesty, we're becoming a bit weary of writing about him, but we really couldn't pass this one up. Apparently the folks behind the Duke Nukem Trilogy are looking for a few good actors to do their best Duke impressions and maybe get a chance to "travel around the world representing Deep Silver and Apogee Software, LLC as the new 'official' Duke Nukem."We might not have informed you about the contest had the already existing contestant videos not convinced us otherwise. Women playing Duke? Yep. People who speak English only sometimes playing Duke? You bet! Hilarious? In an American Idol blooper, catching some serious wahjah kind of way. If you're so inclined to enter yourself (though we're wary to encourage that), all you have to do is capture your best Duke impressions on tape and head over to the contest website for entry instructions. We're going out on a limb and suggesting you don't impersonate what Duke does to bosses after taking them out in your entry. We'll leave it at that.
Forever-gate: Take-Two demands Duke Nukem Forever source code in suit
If the development of Duke Nukem Forever was a troubled marriage, welcome to the nasty, drawn-out divorce.Shacknews reports that court documents it obtained from the case of Take-Two Interactive vs. Apogee Software have the former demanding, well, custody of the unfinished game's source code. It also seeks to prevent Apogee from "disclosing, distributing, transferring or selling to any party other than Take-Two any proprietary information related to DNF." In short, Take-Two wants what it claims it paid for, and wants it now. 3D Realms co-founder, Scott Miller, wrote in a comment on Shacknews that the DNF developer "never saw a penny of that money," referring to the $12 million Take-Two says it paid Apogee for publishing rights to the game in 2000.If there's anything positive to be taken away from this litigation situation, it's that Take-Two evidently plans on ensuring a return on its investment in DNF -- possibly to the extent of taking all the game's assets and continuing its development elsewhere.[Via BigDownload]
GOG in the Machine: Duke Nukem 3D, more Apogee on the way
Week after week, Good Old Games bring us a bountiful list of memories from our childhood. This week the company's bringing not just Duke Nukem 3D for $5.99, but the announcement that Apogee Software has agreed to distribute through GOG's digital distribution platform. (Wait, does that mean Commander Keen as well?!)From what GOG has confirmed with us, Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project, Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold, Blake Stone: Planet Strike, and Rise of the Triad: Dark War are all in the queue for "the upcoming weeks." (So, no Commander Keen then, eh?) If you'd like a refresher on how hilarious and ridiculous hilarculous the Duke can be, check out the modern-classic Duke Nukem Trilogy trailer from last year's E3 after the break.[Thanks, Brent]
Apogee returns from dead to bring new Duke Nukem to handhelds
Apogee Software, a one-time forerunner of shareware titles, is back. According to a press release, the company has reached an "exclusive agreement" with 3D Realms and MachineWorks Northwest LLC to release Duke Nukem Trilogy to the "handheld console market." The brand new game includes episodes Critical Mass, Chain Reaction and Proving Grounds.No other details are available. Even though 3D Realms is still legally named Apogee Software, the two companies' relationship is unclear. In the press release, Apogee describes itself as "back to re-establish itself as an innovative leader in interactive entertainment." With new, actual Duke Nukem Release Technology©, we'd be hard to argue.
