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Salem releases first major content patch under new management
The colonial perma-death MMO Salem has faced some publisher problems over the last year or so, but indie dev Mortal Moments has swooped in to take over the ambitious project recently. Project Lead John Carver made a formal introduction when the transfer was finalized, but what's even more interesting is the 51-page forum thread that answers many of our burning questions about the game's future. Carver touches on some important points that could get Salem back on MMO gamers' radars: "Some could argue that it has had its day. Some could say that the people have spoken and that the game itself is over, finished, destroyed. But is it? Salem offers the promise of witches and paranoia but currently delivers neither. Salem tantalizes us with the prospects of creatures in the darkness and all that is the unknown in Colonial America, yet we have only argopelters. Salem entices us with the wealth of possibilities afforded by Animal Husbandry, Alchemy, Wagons and Ships, none of which are in the game yet." If these staple features were finally added to the game by this new developer, would potential players give it another shot? Would you? Salem has just released its first major content update under Mortal Moments, and the studio aims to stay true to the game's original plan (no pay-to-win, no PvE servers, etc). [Thanks for the tip, Chrysillis!]
Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity looks old, and that's good news
Pitched as a return to the days of games like Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale and Planescape: Torment – isometric RPGs developed on BioWare's Infinity Engine – Pillars of Eternity from Obsidian is decidedly old-school. Where other games may tout streamlined gameplay and accessibility, Pillars holds its stats-based and number-heavy head up high as it walks through environments befitting a medieval fantasy world. This isn't a revolution or new beginning for the genre, but a return to form.
Magicka 2 hiring wizards on PlayStation 4 [update: PC too]
Paradox Interactive is bringing top-down wizardry to PlayStation 4 with Magicka 2. While Sony's E3 trailer adorably painted the life of an unemployed mage, gameplay footage was sparse, as were details on the follow-up to the 2011 co-op adventure. Update: A fresh press release notes the four-player co-op adventure is coming to PC too. Paradox promises a story campaign and new co-op features, but most importantly, it also shares that trailer with us so that we can share it with you.
Players cast 97 million spells in Magicka: Wizard Wars
After dropping into open beta only a week ago, Magicka: Wizard Wars has reached 500,000 downloads, Paradox Interactive has announced. The publisher adds that players have cast a total of 97,704,758 spells. That's just about 195 spells per download, by our reckoning. The warm reception has prompted Paradox to increase Wizard Wars' server capacity – quadrupling it, according to Paradox North studio manager, John Hargelid. If you want to try out Wizard Wars particular brand of sorcerer blasting, you can grab the free open beta from Steam (just don't call it a MOBA). [Image: Paradox Interactive]
Paradox casts 'open beta' on Magicka: Wizard Wars
Those looking to murder somebody with arcane energies will be pleased to hear that the mano a mano magical duels of Magicka: Wizard Wars have now entered open beta testing. To celebrate the milestone, developer Paradox North has added a handful of new content to Magicka: Wizard Wars, including a new map set in the caves of Galdrhöll Halls, as well as new robes, staves and character skins. Additionally, the new "Raise Dead" spell does exactly what its name claims, by summoning a group of undead imps to torment your opponent. Though entry into the Magicka: Wizard Wars open beta is free, those who especially enjoy the game's novel take on sorcery can shell out real-world cash for a Starter Pack full of items useful to a nascent spell-slinger. From the $15 Apprentice Starter Pack to the $50 Archmage Starter Pack, there's a wide range of bonuses available to those with cash and poor self-control. For more information, take a look at the game's Steam listing. [Image: Paradox Interactive]
Magicka: Wizard Wars take to the betafield May 27
It's a what? Wizard Wars, Harry. A what? Wizard Wars! Beginning May 27, everyone, including boys who sleep under the stairs, can participate in Magicka: Wizard Wars. Paradox Interactive's "not a MOBA," which is currently available through Steam Early Access, will be free in beta. Set in the Magicka universe, the game finds two teams of four wizards engaged in player-versus-player combat. So, if this totally still sounds like a MOBA to you, feel free to try your wand at it on May 27.
Ransack Steam for War of the Vikings
Those of you who woke up this morning with a craving for blood and glory will be happy to learn that publisher Paradox Interactive and developer Fatshark have officially launched War of the Vikings. Normally this is where we'd outline the historical action game's features, but in this case we can do you one better. Last week our own Richard Mitchell and Anthony Agnello were joined by War of the Vikings producer Gordon Van Dyke for a Joystiq Stream. Don't worry if you missed the initial broadcast, you can find an archive of the entire thing by visiting our original post. If that hour-long glimpse at the blood-slicked chaos of battle has piqued your interest, you can pick up War of the Vikings from Steam at a price of $25. Alternately, those of you with deeper pockets can spring for the $35 "Blood Eagle" edition of the game which offers an art book, soundtrack and special in-game gear, or the $175 "Valhalla Edition" which features all content found in the Blood Eagle version of the game, along with all future DLC content, a strategy guide, a digital novel, and quite a bit more. [Image: Paradox Interactive]
Joystiq Streams: War of the Vikings with producer Gordon Van Dyke [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
NOTE: Joystiq Streams is airing at 12PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel so as to coordinate with guests in different time zones. Viking Facts: 1) Vikings did not wear sweet horned helmets into battle. Sorry to burst your Viking bubble. 2) Vikings did not play football in Minnesota. Seriously, how would seafaring warriors even get to Minnesota? 3) These truths do not diminish the solid gold righteousness of Vikings. Hence why we're playing War of the Vikings on Joystiq Streams. Gordon Van Dyke, War of the Vikings' producer from Paradox Interactive, will join Richard Mitchell and Anthony John Agnello for a tour of the sequel to War of the Roses. If you thirst for large multiplayer melees where Vikings and Saxons bludgeon each other with handheld weapons, prepare to get quenched. All the action happens at 12PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel. Be there! [Images: Paradox Interactive]
Paradox Interactive to publish Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity
Obsidian Entertainment announced a partnership with Paradox Interactive to launch Pillars of Eternity. Paradox will handle the marketing and distribution of the PC game, which is slated to launch by this winter. Formerly known as Project Eternity, the game earned $3.9 million on Kickstarter in October 2012. The game was originally expected to land this spring before suffering delays. Obsidian launched South Park: The Stick of Truth earlier this month, following Paradox's announcement of Hearts of Iron 4 and Norse mythology-inspired RPG Runemaster in January. [Image: Obsidian Entertainment]
Warlock 2: The Exiled takes its turn on April 10
Warlock 2: The Exiled is just about ready to host one-hexagon-at-a-time fights over territories, with its initial turn scheduled for April 10 on PCs. Steam users will also be able to add Ino Co's strategy game to their ever-growing library, with preorders opening up around March 20. The release date was shared on Twitter, a realm in which time travels normally and people fight over review scores and game resolutions instead of land masses. Over 170 spells will be spread across a roster of 12 mages, each with their own abilities to offer in your conquest to hoard hexagonal spaces. Players can deploy cunning strategies in the game's greater sandbox mode or take on Exile mode's story, which focuses on claiming revenge on those that exiled you from Ardania. [Image: Paradox Interactive]
War of the Vikings begins on April 15
War of the Vikings will launch in full for PC on April 15, following a stint on Steam Early Access and other online distributors. Publisher Paradox Interactive and developer Fatshark plan to announce new features and release plans during a Twitch livestream today, March 5, at 2PM ET. Executive Producer Gordon Van Dyke will host the stream and play the latest version of the game. War of the Vikings is a close-quarter combat game set in Britannia during the Viking Age (but you probably already guessed that part). It's built with the same tech as Fatshark's previous close-quarters game, War of the Roses. We're getting in on the viking action with a livestream featuring the developers on April 8, right on the Joystiq Twitch channel. [Image: Paradox]
Salem prepares for full wipe
The end of the world is nigh for Salem and it's rankling more than a few players' sensibilities. Earlier this month, the developers announced that they will be conducting a full wipe of Salem in an upcoming patch. This will reset the map and delete all characters in order to condense the population onto a single server. Currently the game is running on multiple servers, which the devs deem as "overestablished." Players are upset that the sandbox MMO is being wiped in light of the team previously promising that it wouldn't do such a thing. Seatribe is sympathetic but resolute: "We did not arrive at this decision lightly. We have considered all our options and for various reasons found them wanting." The good news is that the patch will add in plenty of new features and tweaks, including a rework of the gluttony system, improvements to character proficiencies, and the implementation of a new map generator. Every item that characters purchased from the store beforehand will be restored to them once the patch goes live. [Thanks to Nine for the tip!]
War of the Vikings trailer pays in blood
We imagine the thrill of the kill is its own reward in War of the Vikings, but there are also more tangible gains – like improved equipment and weaponry. In this trailer for War of the Vikings, we're shown how a soldier progresses and pays for new equipment with his opponents' blood.
Cash is king in next Europa Universalis 4 expansion
Having recently tackled the Americas with the Conquest of Paradise expansion, the next addition to grand strategy epic Europa Universalis 4 focuses on something truly important: cold, hard cash. Officially titled "Europa Universalis 4: Wealth of Nations," the expansion is focused on trade, though it would be more accurate to say that Wealth of Nations explores the drama and international backstabbing that surrounded trade during the age of discovery. Players will be able to covertly influence the economy to destroy their enemies, or bankroll pirates to swipe trade goods from the high seas. Or if crushing rivals one at a time seems too slow, you could form the East India Trade Company and subjugate the known world under a vast, morally questionable economic monopoly. Europa Universalis 4: Wealth of Nations currently lacks a solid release date, though Paradox Interactive hopes to release the expansion during the second quarter of 2014.
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.
Visit the New World in latest Europa Universalis 4 expansion
Paradox Interactive's grand strategy game Europa Universalis 4 has grown a bit more grand with the release of the "Conquest of Paradise" expansion, a downloadable content pack focused on North America in the days before Manifest Destiny and smallpox paved the way for the modern United States. "Explorers and Emperors alike will find a completely randomized American continent added to their game, including features such as trading with the natives, establishing colonies, and new options for military conquest," reads the developer's official description of the expansion. "Players can also take control of newly formed colonial nations - or play as one of several Native American Nations, complete with unique buildings, events, and mechanics." A visit to Steam reveals a $15 price tag for the Conquest of Paradise expansion. In addition, three new, smaller DLC packs have also been released. The Conquistadors Unit Pack adds new models for Spanish and Portuguese armies, while the Native Americans Unit Pack delivers a new unit to the expansion's indigenous tribes. Finally, the Songs of the New World DLC adds new music to Europa Universalis 4 composed by Andreas Waldetoft, a musician known for his work on the Crusader Kings 2 soundtrack.
Europa Universalis 4 'Conquest of Paradise' expansion up for pre-order
In case you just can't get enough or rewriting history, Paradox has opened up pre-orders for the Europa Universalis 4 expansion, "Conquest of Paradise." The expansion takes Europa Universalis 4 to the New World (i.e. the Americas), where players can guide the development of the Native American nation or Colonial Nation. You could always do your best to relive American history as we know it, or you could find out what would have happened if Spain really went whole hog. Conquest of Paradise will arrive on the shores of PC, Mac and Linux on January 14. It's available for pre-order now on Steam for $13.49, 10 percent off the normal price.
Teleglitch patched for controller support, new DLC adds 'music to kill by'
On this, the day if its first DLC pack release, Teleglitch: Die More Edition has also been updated with full controller support and a deep, limited-engagement discount on Steam. The Guns and Tunes pack, available now for $1.99, adds "music to kill by and the weapons to make it happen:" Eight new starter weapons/utilities, five new songs that "enhance your Teleglitch experience," and a new option to randomize weapons at the beginning of the game. Folks who pre-ordered Teleglitch before its release last July already own this DLC, the listing states. The game is now also fully compatible with Steam's Big Picture mode, thanks to its newly added controller support. When our own Dave Hinkle reviewed Teleglitch at launch, he described it as "a harsh mistress," saying that the game's true reward lies in "the empowerment you feel from besting the seemingly impossible odds." Snag Teleglitch: Die More Edition for just $3.25 until October 14.
Paradox Interactive reveals Warlock 2: The Exiled
Magicka and Europa Universalis series publisher Paradox Interactive announced today that Ino-Co's turn-based strategy game Warlock 2: The Exiled will launch for PC platforms next year. Expanding on last year's Majesty series spinoff Warlock: Master of the Arcane, Warlock 2 equips players with over 150 new spells and several zoos' worth of summonable creatures, ranging from giant rats to "werewolves with hats on them." Sold. Warlock 2 will feature a single-player campaign and a variety of multiplayer modes when it premieres in the spring of 2014.
Spill Norse and Saxon blood in War of the Vikings today
Paradox Interactive has announced that War of the Vikings, the follow-up to multiplayer medieval combat game War of the Roses, will join Steam Early Access. An Alpha version of the game is available right now on Steam, and those who've picked up the Kingmaker edition of War of the Roses can try out the sequel free until October 4. War of the Vikings is based on the Viking Age, a period around 800 AD when the Vikings scoured Europe looking for conquest and trade. The game, which doesn't stray very far from the foundation established by War of the Roses, will launch fully on Steam early next year.
