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CD Projekt has announced the release of The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director's Cut for Macs. Based on the writings of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, the fantasy RPG follows the exploits of The Witcher, a monster slayer known as Geralt. Players must make difficult decisions as they struggle against forces bent on taking control of the world.

ABOUT THE WITCHER: ENHANCED EDITION
The RPG of the Year is back - in a Premium Edition packed with powerful extras! Assume the role of The Witcher, Geralt, a legendary monster slayer caught in a web of intrigue as he battles forces vying for control of the world! Make difficult decisions and live with the consequences in a game that will immerse you in an extraordinary tale like no other!

Representing the pinnacle of storytelling in role-playing games, The Witcher shatters the line between good and evil in a world where moral ambiguity reigns. The Witcher emphasizes story and character development in a vibrant world while incorporating tactically-deep real-time combat like no game before it.

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition takes all of the acclaimed gameplay that garnered the original game more than 90 awards, and perfects it with a number of gameplay and technical improvements.

• Superior dialogue and cutscenes - The developers have re-recorded and rewritten more than 5000 lines of dialogue in English and redone the entire German edition to create more a more consistent experience, while adding more than 200 gesture animations to make characters behave more believably in dialogue and cutscenes.
  
• Enhanced inventory - The new inventory system makes item use and organization less complicated by introducing a separate sack for any alchemical ingredients, as well as a simple sort-and-stack function. Spend less time managing your inventory and more time playing the game.
  
• Technical improvements - The enhancements made to the technical side of the game are too numerous to list, but a few of the highlights include greatly reduced loading times, greater stability, improved combat responsiveness, faster inventory loading, the option to turn autosave on or off, and more.
  
• Character differentiation system - To add more variety to NPC and monster appearances, we've added a new character differentiation system that randomizes the appearance and colors of dozens of in-game models.
  
• The Package - The Witcher: Enhanced Edition is more than just a better version of last year's RPG of the Year. The premium packaging would usually infer some sort of Collector's Edition... but at the price of a regular game, it's simply a great value. In your download you'll also get: Multilingual game disc, D'jinni Adventure Editor, Two new adventures offering 5+ hours of gameplay, Official Soundtrack, Music Inspired by The Witcher album, Making-of videos, Official game guide, Map of The Witcher's world

Key features:

Geralt of Rivia: a one-of-a-kind protagonist
• A charismatic and unique character, Geralt is a mutant swordmaster and professional monster slayer.
  
• Choose from over 250 special abilities correlated to attributes, combat skills and magical powers to build the character in a way best suited to tactical needs and style of play.
• Original fantasy world drawn from literature
  • Inspired by the writings of renowned Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
    
  • Featuring adult themes, less fairy-tale than typical fantasy, with mature social issues like racism, political intrigue and genocide.
    
  • It is a harsh world where nothing is black or white, right or wrong, often forcing players to choose between the lesser of two evils to advance.
• Non-linear and captivating storyline
  • Full of turns, twists and ambiguous moral decisions which have real impact on the storyline.
    
  • All quests can be accomplished in several ways and the game has three different endings depending on the player's actions and choices throughout the adventure.
• Visually stunning tactical action
  • Engage in complex yet intuitive real-time combat based on real medieval sword-fighting techniques.
    
  • Motion capture performed by medieval fighting experts at Frankfurt's renowned Metric.
    
  • Motion capture performed by medieval fighting experts at Frankfurt's renowned Metric Minds studio, resulting in 600 spectacular and authentic in-game combat animations.
    
  • Six combat styles, dozens of potions, complex alchemy system, modifiable weapons and powerful magic add tactical depth to the fluid real-time experience.

Mac System Requirements:

Minimum:
OS: OS X version 10.6.8 or later.
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo (any)
Memory: 2GB RAM
Graphics: Graphics card nVidia GeForce 320M (or better), AMD Radeon HD 6750M (or better) or Intel HD Graphics 3000
Hard Drive: 10.5 GB free space on HDD
Recommended:
OS: OS X version 10.6.8 or later.
Processor: Inel Core i5 or Core i7 (any)
Memory: 4GB RAM
Graphics: Graphics card with at least 512 MB VRAM
Hard Drive: 10.5 GB free space on HDD

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director's Cut

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Independent developer Simone Bevilacqua has released the fifteenth and final update for BOH. The retro action game of exploration challenges players to travel through trap filled corridors, solve puzzles, and defeat enemies as they quest to find and defeat the Evil Masters. BOH features 50 missions and 5 difficulty levels.

Update 15:

adds 5 missions;

adds the Dutch translation;

optimizes even further the rendering engine;

replaces the transition effect with a cooler one;

centers the graphics vertically when playing in a screen bigger than the game area;

allows providing just alphamask files for all the graphics of themes;

replaces icons with bigger and crisper ones;

allows to configure the URL for the submissions of records to the online world standings (so that, in future, standings will remain accessible also if the URL changes);

updates the manuals;

applies various other minor optimizations/fixes.

BOH

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Macgamestore.com has updated its roster of games available for download and purchase with the addition of iosoftware's Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe. The strategy game allows players to take control of one of seven factions in a fantasy world at war. The game features 180 creature types and over 70 maps to enjoy.

Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe is an old-school strategy for the Mac. Beautiful graphics and well-thought gameplay allow you to spend hours playing this game! You control heroes, gather resources, conquer castles and new lands, and fight your opponents.

Features:

• 7 factions: Knight, Barbarian, Necromancer, Sorceress, Wizard, Warlock, Varangian.
  
• Hot-seat mode that allows several people to play using one computer.
  
• 180 creature types
  
• 114 artifacts
  
• Over 70 maps to play

Requirements:

• Intel Mac
  
• Mac OS X 10.6 or later

Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe

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Binary Helix has announced the release of Dangerous for Macs. Described as an "epic sandbox 3D space combat RPG," the game makes use of an advanced virtual machine to give life to more than 600 NPC pilots roaming the galaxy. Players take the role of a Buck Rogers style character awakened from a century long cryo-sleep, and must decide if they will be hero or villain.

Dangerous is an epic 3D open and living world space sandbox combat RPG with an engaging story. You have been awoken from cryo sleep a century later, and must discover the truth. Are you the feared war criminal or the savior of the universe or both? Gather your wingmen and travel the galaxy in search of answers. Along the way, you'll encounter a Universal AI, a shadow group protecting the future, a cult bent on apocalypse, a runaway princess, a schizophrenic robot, a beautiful lieutenant of the Royal Navy, a fearsome mercenary, a suicidal slave, and a playboy fighter ace. Discover intrigue, betrayal, love, and redemption.

Featuring:

• 3D real-time sandbox game built with Unity game engine
  
• metallic shader, lighting, particle effects, lens flare, explosions, fx
  
• space combat RPG with extensive skill tree
  
• open and living universe where 600+ ships fly around autonomously
  
• epic story with dialogue system that allows real choices
  
• recruit 6 wingmen and 2 can fly with you at a time
  
• romance and mini-game are integral
  
• recruit 5 corporate pilots who can fly trade routes on your behalf
  
• trade, fight, mine, pirate, scan for derelict ships and wormholes
  
• many mission types: epic, freelance, dynamic, wingman acquisition, faction loyalty
  
• deep combat mechanics, AI, and faction standings
  
• 20+ ships, 180+ modules, 33 solar systems with a unique follow-through-warp mechanic
  
• 15+ factions to vie favor or destroy
  
• cinematic camera shows you the action when it happens
  
• fly manually with or without Newtonian physics or use autopilots exclusively
  
• 22 track theatrical-quality soundtrack by renown composer, Sean Beeson
  
• Pick a perk when starting out! You'll be able to customize your game right off the bat by choosing a perk that lets you start the game with one skill already maxed: Warp Navigation, Master Trader, Scan Probe, or none.
  
• The epic story asks: Are you a hero or war criminal? Defender of slavers, cults, or freedom? Human or something else?

Dangerous

Dangerous Trailer

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Amanita Design, developer of Machinarium, recently announced the April 19 release of Botanicula, a new point-and-click adventure. The game focuses on five unique characters on a mission to save the last seed of their home tree from infestation by evil parasites. To succeed players will have to rely on each of the five characters skills as they travel through the game's more than 150 locations.

Botanicula is point'n'click exploration game created by Jára Plachý and Amanita Design. It's about a bunch of five friends - little tree creatures who set out for a journey to save the last seed from their home tree which is infested by evil parasites. The original soundtrack and sound effects are created by Czech alternative band DVA.

Amanita Design

Botanicula

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TopWare Interactive has announced plans to publish Targem Games’ Planets at War for Mac, Windows PCs, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3. Described as a strategic interplanetary conflict simulator, the game lets players control one of four available races, managing and deploying their forces to conquer enemy regimes. 

“The challenging gameplay paired with the exquisite presentation of the game’s complex mechanics are sure to find players losing themselves in the folds of time and space”, states TopWare’s CEO Alexandra Constandache.

Game Info:

Planets at War offers a surprising depth of gameplay, while its intuitive controls allow even casual gamers to pick it up and feel comfortable immediately. In addition to the addicting gameplay, Planets at War is an obvious labor of love. An exciting and memorable cast of characters exist perfectly in this artistically beautiful world. From the ships to the planets, everything has an essence of its own, with a memorable soundtrack and comical sound effects breathing life into the visuals

Gameplay:

The goal of this challenging space adventure is to conquer a galaxy of planets, while undertaking a multitude of special challenges. Take control of your mighty space armada, and wreak havoc across the cosmos, but choose your targets wisely! Conquered planets will net you income to expand your forces, but you must carefully weigh the pros and cons of attacking each planet, as timing and available resources are critical to victory. Above all else, you must keep a cool head. Enemies race to capture your territory as you hone in on theirs and multiple battles will rage on all fronts. You must make tactical decisions at every turn, from scouting your enemies and deploying units, to shoring up your planets’ defenses and knowing when to attack and when to defend. Strategic multi-tasking and a keen military mind will lead directly to unrivaled glory…while careless play will reduce your army to space dust.

Campaign

The Campaign mode tests your military might with 32 thrilling levels, each with varied planets, tasks and game modes. Defend a planet until reinforcements arrive, fly into uncharted space, conquer planets and set up defenses before rivals attack - the list goes on and on, as there is no shortage of objectives in your struggle for interstellar dominance. Start out as a novice and learn the ropes, or ramp up the challenge with three levels of difficulty. The longer you play the more experience you’ll obtain, allowing you to unlock new technologies, changing the way you play and ensuring you’ll keep coming back for more!

Online

In Online mode, don’t just choose your own path, make the cosmos your own personal battleground! You design the fight, from choosing the amount of players, to selecting your maps. Simply pick a game mode, select your settings, grab some friends, and cut loose.

Team

Team mode is just that, where the players can join a team with up to 3 other people, or AI, all working towards the same goal. Any combination of 4 - whether it’s 1 vs. 3, 2 vs. 2 and so on - can be chosen to change the overall experience in Planets at War Team mode.

Features:

• Impressive moving planetary systems in a three dimensional space
  
• Stunning cartoon graphics
  
• Fun, easy to learn gameplay in a rich science-fiction setting
  
• 8 types of planets
  
• A diverse campaign with 32 levels and multiple game modes
  
• 15 multiplayer levels for 2-4 players – either in Online mode against other players, Skirmish mode against the A.I., or work towards the same goals and team-up with players in Team mode.
  
• Same system multiplayer – allowing players to play with up to 4 people at once, all on the same system, and in any mode they choose.
  
• 15 unlockable technologies provide gameplay variety in both single and multiplayer modes
  
• 2 playable races with unique ship designs and gameplay variants

Planets Under Attack

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In just 28 hours Harebrained Schemes LLC's Shadowrun Returns Kickstarter campaign reached its funding goal of $400,000, and quickly went on to surpass the $425,000 target necessary for the development of a Mac version. The role playing game will return players to the Shadowrun universe which features a mixture of cyberpunk tech and high fantasy magic. Shadowrun Returns wil be a 2D turn-based single player game which will include "deep story interaction, meaningful character development, and highly-contextual tactical combat."

Jordan Weisman, the creator of Shadowrun, is back and Shadowrun Returns is the game that Shadowrun fans have been waiting for a long time. A graphically rich 2D turn-based single player game with deep story interaction, meaningful character development, and highly-contextual tactical combat, Shadowrun Returns is not only going to make some old geeks (like us) very happy but it will introduce new players to a dynamic gaming universe that is beloved around the world.

Created almost 25 years ago, Shadowrun remains one of the most original and cherished role-playing settings. The game world’s origin story mashes-up the dystopian Cyberpunk future of a Blade Runner with the high fantasy creatures and races of a Lords of the Rings in an organic way that produces iconic characters, environments, and situations.

Here's how it works:

According to the Mayan Calendar (and lots of tabloids), the world will end on December 21, 2012. It’s part a 5,200 year cycle of death and rebirth that, in Shadowrun, actually charts the ebb and flow of magic from the Earth. So, on 12/21/12 magic will return, end this world, and wreak holy havoc while starting the next. Aboriginal cultures, who maintained their mystical traditions, are the first to feel the return of magic and use their newfound power to reshape the political, financial, and physical world around them. As the magic increases, Elf and Dwarf babies are born to very surprised parents who carry the right combination of long-dormant genes. But all of these events pale in comparison to the horror of "goblinization", which painfully reshapes the teenage bodies of those unlucky enough to carry dominant Ork or Troll genes. And then the first Great Dragon rises from its 5,200 yearlong hibernation and circles over Tokyo, signaling that the world has truly AWAKENED.

Fast forward two generations, to a world transformed not only by the growth of magic but by the acceleration of cyber technology—a continual effort to improve upon the gifts that nature gave humanity; by the inevitable maturation of the World Wide Web into the Matrix—a network directly accessible by the human brain; and by the near elimination of governments as they are replaced megacorporations—monolithic entities who see only customers, not citizens.

And moving through the dark shadows cast by the gleaming towers of the corps, are Shadowrunners – disposable assets and corporate pawns scratching out a living using a combination of technology, magic, and street smarts. Shadowrunners live between the cracks and operate outside the law, doing the dirty work that corporate wage-slaves won’t soil their hands with and occasionally acting as the only protection the citizenry can turn to.

Welcome to the world of Shadowrun, where man meets magic and machine.

Shadowrun Returns

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1C Company has announced the release of King’s Bounty: The Legend and its sequel King’s Bounty: Armored Princess for Mac. Set in a fantasy world the adventure RPGs feature turn-based strategy battles, a variety of enemies to confront, quests to solve, and in Armored Princess the assistance of a pet dragon.

King's Bounty: The Legend is an adventure RPG with turn-based Strategy battles. In a fairy tale fantasy world of fearless knights, evil mages, wise kings and beautiful princesses the player controls a hero. Leading their character through the game world, exploring it, commanding armies in battle and accomplishing various quests can mean great reward or huge defeats.

King's Bounty: Armored Princess is a sequel to the critically acclaimed King’s Bounty: The Legend. Players will take on the role of Princess Amelie who travels around the world of Teana and searches for the renowned knight, and her mentor, Bill Gilbert.

This new world of King’s Bounty: Armored Princess is full of mysteries and dangers. The new character, the Princess, will encounter horrible creatures, huge monstrous bosses and a new race, the bloodthirsty Lizards. As in the multi-award winning game on which this sequel is based, the player has many options to resist these new enemies. Various new skills and characteristics of Amelie as well as her chance to fly will help her overcome the hordes attacking the kingdom. The Princess is also accompanied by a Pet Dragon, at the very beginning small and amusing, but its abilities develop steadily until it becomes an incredible ally. He will do his best to protect the Princess during the battles, starting with easy blows and treasure hunting and finishing with battle rage and volcano summoning.

King’s Bounty gameplay is divided into two major sections: adventure mode and battle mode. While playing in adventure mode the gamer controls their character in real-time. With several classes available at the start of a new game, the player moves through the adventure map seeking various treasures, fighting monsters and accomplishing quests tasked to him by the local stewards. Once in battle mode the gamer assumes the role of a war chief, leading his troops in tactical turn-based combat. Battles take place on land or sea, in dungeons or castles or even in some items! The hero himself doesn't participate in the combat, but can assist his troops by casting spells or summoning different creatures.

Minimal system requirements:

• Mac OS X v10.6.8 or later
  
• 2GB of RAM
  
• Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz or faster
  
• NVIDIA or ATI video card with min. 256 Mb RAM
  
• 5.8GB free hard-drive space (5.3 GB for Armored Princess)
  
• Macintosh mouse and keyboard
  
• It is recommended to use a two-button mouse to run this game

King's Bounty: The Legend

King's Bounty: Armored Princess

Buy King's Bounty: The Legend

Buy King's Bounty: Armored Princess

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