PC Gaming Roundup - February 11, 2009

We're off to a late start again (which will probably be the norm for a bit), however there's plenty of gaming goodness to go around, including a date for godfather II, news on the Left 4 Dead DLC, and a Men of War demo.

Requiem Trailer on YouTube
Paradox Interactive uploaded a new Requiem trailer to YouTube, showcasing the concluding expansion in the Penumbra Collection slated for this month. Requiem ties up the loose ends from the previous two installments as the story's main protagonist, Philip, falls deeper into madness and tries to discover the origins behind his father’s mysterious letter. “Requiem is the epilogue for the Penumbra series that follows Philip’s continuing descent into insanity," said Lead Programmer and Co-Founder of Frictional Games, Thomas Grip. "The puzzle-oriented expansion ties together all the loose ends that the other games left unresolved. What really makes Requiem unique is the effort we put into advancing physics based puzzles and trying to create an intriguing and surreal experience."

Godfather II Gets Dated
This morning Electronic Arts announced that Godfather II will hit the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on April 7, followed by an April 10th release in Europe. According to the company, the game will allow players to "carve out their own story of deception, betrayal, and conquest in a 1960's organized crime world." The story will interweave with many of the key events from the film (meeting of the Don's in Cuba, blackmailing Senator Geary etc), and will require players to invest in the family and its business, and live the ultimate organized crime experience.

Men of War Multiplayer Beta on FilePlanet
As the heading states, Aspyr Media gave FilePlanet exclusive dibs to host the new multiplayer beta of Men of War. Developed by Best Way, the upcoming real-time strategy game is slated to reach North American shores under the 1C label next month. Aspyr said that up to 16 people can go head-to-head in four different modes, including Battle Zones, Capture the Flag, Combat and Combat FFA. The beta also features 9 different maps and 4 nations: Britain, Soviet Union, America, and Germany, each with their own unique troops and vehicles. Men of War takes place across the globe during the height of World War II and features four different armies: Russia, America, Germany and the Allies. A subscription to FilePlanet is required to download the demo.
Empire Interactive Snags American Mensa Deal

Empire Interactive signed an exclusive, multi-year deal with American Mensa, snagging the rights to develop and publish games based on the Mensa license in the United States. The agreement enables the company to create titles for the console, hand-held, Mac and PC. “Signing a partnership with such a trusted and respected organization like Mensa is a tremendous honor for Empire Interactive,” said Karim Farghaly, Vice President of Empire Interactive. “We have always been committed to delivering quality products and are excited about the endless possibilities with the Mensa license.”

Left 4 Dead DLC Will Be Free
Valve Software said that the recently announced Downloadable Content (DLC) for its zombified first-person shooter Left 4 Dead will actually be free! That's right... free! Due for release this spring, the L4D Survival Pack introduces a new multiplayer game mode entitled, Survival, plus two complete campaigns for Versus Mode (Death Toll, Dead Air). A Critic's Choice Edition of the game will be heading to retail stores this spring as well, and will include access to all the content introduced in the L4D: Survival Pack.

New Aliens versus Predator Title in 2010
According to Sega, a new Aliens versus Predator title is in the works over at Rebellion, the same developer who brought the original Aliens versus Predator game to the PC in 1999. While the company didn't specify any specific platforms, it's natural to assume the upcoming game will hit the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC in light of the other Aliens title currently in development. “The innovative new AvP game presents an exciting opportunity for us,” says CEO of SEGA West, Naoya Tsurumi, “It represents a fantastic addition to our growing Aliens franchise and the reinvention of one of gaming’s most cherished iconic titles. By adjusting the release of our other Aliens titles to accommodate it, SEGA will ensure that every title lives up to the high expectations of Aliens and AvP fans.” Oh yeah.

Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst Ships to Retail
Activision Publishing released the fifth title of its Mystery Case Files series today, Return to Ravenhearst, taking fans back to Ravenhearst manor to reveal its dark past and tormented spirits. In this episode, Emma`s soul is free, but her ghost has delivered a dire warning: evil still lurks in Ravenhearst Manor. The Mystery Case Files is a hidden object-adventure series, and has sold more than 3 million units to date.

Visit the Emergency Ward in April
Oxygen Games plans to release Hysteria Hospital: Emergency Ward in April on the PC, Nintendo Wii and DS. The company said that players will have several levels of the hospital to navigate, and they will have to reach desperate patients and demanding doctors within a set period of time. The frenzy inside the hospital will increase as the game progresses with more and more demanding patients desperate to be cured. “We’ve spent a lot of time researching what audiences want in a good casual game and we’ve incorporated these into Hysteria Hospital: Emergency Ward,” said Oxygen Games CEO Jim Scott. “Hysteria Hospital is very funny, very frantic and is sure to entertain gamers of all ages.”

Puzzle Quest: Galactrix on FaceBook
It seems like everyone is invading FaceBook, even Grandma. Now a new "demo" of the upcoming puzzle game, Puzzle Quest: Galactrix, is now available for sampling on FaceBook right here. On this site, fans can add the game board widget to their Facebook or MySpace pages. Puzzle Quest: Galactrix is scheduled to hit store shelves in early 2009.
Silkroad Online and Deco Online Get Festive

Today kicks off the Valentine's Day festivities in both MMORPGs, an for the next three weeks, players will receive bonus XP while adventuring in both worlds, and will have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of contests, from forum challenges to missions as an in-game cupid. Silkroad Online players will receive 30 percent bonus experience from February 10th until March 3rd, whereas Deco Online players will receive 200 percent XP and 200 percent drop rate bonuses every weekend in February. Visit both websites to find out more what the Valentine's Day festivities will bring.