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Harebrained Schemes has revealed some new information about upcoming DLC for its recently launched Shadowrun Returns RPG. Among other things the new post details plans to expand the content in the Berlin add-on, a move which requires a January 2014 release date rather than the original October launch.

We've heard a lot of questions from you wondering what to expect from Berlin. Well, our original plan called for a modest-sized campaign that we could ship by the end of October. However, after listening to your forum discussions and feedback, it became clear that you would like to see something bigger (and so would we). So, we've decided to spend more time on Berlin to create an experience closer to the size of Dead Man’s Switch. A story of that scope will take longer, so we’re targeting January for its release. While we're still in the early stages of development and many things could change, we’d like to share what we’re planning so far. For example - we know that we want our next story to feel more like the player is part of a shadowrunning crew and contain more corporate intrigue.

Here are the key ideas driving Berlin pre-production right now:

• A more flexible main story arc - choose which runs to complete first, and which factions to complete objectives for
  
• More depth to the NPC runner characters
  
• New weapons, outfits, portraits, music, and enemies - including more magical creatures
  
• Improved Physical Adept gameplay - along with additions for some of the other existing archetypes
  
• A European city with a very different look, “vibe”, and cast of characters
  
• A story that highlights the compelling themes of the Shadowrun: Germany sourcebook
  
• In addition, for the GMs out there, all of the environments and characters that we add in Berlin will also be available in the Shadowrun Returns Editor for anyone who has the Berlin campaign installed.

Shadowrun Returns Berlin DLC Update

Harebrained Schemes

Shadowrun Returns

2K and Firaxis have announced XCOM: Enemy Within, an expansion for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, will be available this November for Mac, Windows, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3. Scheduled to release on November 12 in North America, and November 15 internationally, the game adds a variety of new abilities, upgrades, weapons, maps, tactical and strategic gameplay, and multiplayer content.

XCOM: Enemy Within takes the incredible experience from XCOM: Enemy Unknown and adds an array of new abilities, upgrades, and weapons to combat new enemy threats. The expansion also provides players with all-new maps, tactical and strategic gameplay, and multiplayer content. There is no better way to experience XCOM than with the massive amount of new content added in XCOM: Enemy Within. Fans will experience an additional three to four playthroughs on average before encountering all of the new material included in XCOM: Enemy Within, providing nearly limitless replayability.

The incredible critical and consumer response to XCOM: Enemy Unknown inspired us to offer new content that would deepen the strong bond that has been created for our XCOM brand,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “Firaxis Games is renowned for delivering massive, highly immersive PC expansions in the Civilization series, and XCOM: Enemy Within builds on that lineage and expands the experience for console gamers as well.”;

“We promised gamers that we would deliver the same Enemy Unknown experience on both PC and console last fall, and we’re doing it again with Enemy Within,” said Ananda Gupta, lead designer at Firaxis Games. “The Commander Edition of XCOM: Enemy Within expands the already amazing XCOM experience for our console fans who are looking forward to even more of the game they love. It’s also a great point of entry for new fans just joining the XCOM fight.”

XCOM: Enemy Within vastly improves upon the experience of XCOM: Enemy Unknown with an incredible amount of new content. On PC and Mac, XCOM: Enemy Within features additional content that can be enjoyed with previously purchased copies of XCOM: Enemy Unknown. XCOM: Enemy Within will also be available on Xbox 360 and PS3™ system as the XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition** - a standalone pack that expands the XCOM: Enemy Unknown experience featuring the new XCOM: Enemy Within content and the add-on content that was previously released for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, including the Elite Soldier Pack and Slingshot Content Pack.

Key features for XCOM: Enemy Within will include:

• New Soldier Abilities: Research a new alien technology to advance the capabilities of operatives:
  • Gene Mods: Construct the Genetics Lab to physically enhance operatives’ abilities, including augmentations to the chest, brain, eyes, skin and legs.
    
  • MECs: Build the Cybernetics Lab to enable the construction of the new Mechanized Exoskeletal Cybersuit, or MEC. The new MEC Trooper class has specialized abilities and each suit can be upgraded with new weapons including the flamethrower, grenade launcher and more.
• New Weapons and Equipment: Give operatives an extra tactical edge with new projects from the engineering team in the Foundry;
  
• New Enemy Threats: Adopt new tactics to counter the threats from a host of new enemies, including the Mechtoid;
  
• New Strategic Resource: A valuable new alien resource, known as Meld, has been discovered. Secure it on the battlefield and use it carefully back at base to unlock new research and upgrades;
  
• New Tactical Challenges and Maps: Face new tactical challenges, on nearly 50% more maps;
  
• New Multiplayer Maps, Units and Abilities: Create custom squad from a wider array of options and dominate opponents in intense, one-on-one, turn-based matches.

XCOM: Enemy Within is rated M for Mature by the ESRB and will be available in North America on November 12, 2013 and internationally on November 15, 2013. XCOM: Enemy Within will be available for Windows PC and Mac for $29.99, and will be available for Xbox 360 and PS3™ system for $39.99 as the XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition. For more information on XCOM: Enemy Within, become a fan on Facebook, follow 2K on Twitter and visit the official web site.

XCOM: Enemy Within for PC and Mac requires XCOM: Enemy Unknown to play. XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition is a standalone expanded experience that includes all XCOM: Enemy Unknown content and two add-on content packs: the Elite Soldier Pack the Slingshot Content Pack. XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition does not require XCOM: Enemy Unknown to play.

Learn more at the links below.

Feral Interactive

XCOM: Enemy Within

Enemy Within Announcement Trailer

Buy XCOM: Enemy Within

Sinister Design has posted a new video showcasing some aspects of the upcoming Telepath Tactics. The new video features a battle on the tavern map between four armies controlled by the computer. Set in the world of the Telepath RPG universe, the turn-based multiplayer tactics game will feature support for up to six players in hotseat mode, a new art style, redesigned UI, and a new combat engine.

Telepath Tactics borrows the best parts of our favorite tactics games to create a dream team of available strategies in battle.

Throw enemies off of cliffs; push enemies into water or lava; fling friends across gaps; set your enemies on fire; freeze them; blind them; cripple them; stun them; use hit-and-run tactics with cavalry and bowmen; teleport; grab item drops; stick your ranged units on the high ground to boost their effectiveness; the list goes on and on.

Telepath Tactics also brings fresh, brand new new environmental manipulation mechanics to the table. Freeze water and build bridges to create new routes across water or lava; build barricades to brunt an incoming attack; destroy walls, doors and bridges to open up or close off routes of attack; push boulders, barrels and tables in the way to block off certain routes; shoot through open windows; place down explosive charges to create a trap for an unwary opponent. Telepath Tactics supports all of this and more.

Attack damage is 100% predictable, and attacks always hit unless there is some intervening factor (such as the attacker having been blinded, or the target having some special defensive status effect). In this regard, it is very much a game of skill akin to chess. Chance will seldom determine the outcome of a battle; victory depends on you and your wits.

And you'll need all the wits you can get: the enemy AI in Telepath Tactics is aggressive and reactive. The enemy will not just sit around the battlefield waiting for your characters to wander into aggro range or trigger a script—the AI will actively maneuver and seek out ways to get at your most vulnerable characters. It will backstab you, compete with you to grab useful items, break down your barricades, and shove you right into the lava every chance it gets.

Telepath Tactics features 22 unique character classes, each with its own strengths, weaknesses, and battlefield roles. The single player campaign uses unique, named characters based off of these classes, each with its own custom stats and leveling schemes.

On top of all this, Telepath Tactics features extensive mod support that allows you to create custom battles, custom tilesets, custom destructible objects, custom items, custom attacks, custom character classes, and even whole single player campaigns filled with unique characters, enemies, dialog and cut scenes. Everything is stored in easy-to-read files that can be opened by any text editor, so modding is a cinch.

The game also comes with a full-featured map editor to make creating new battles fast and simple. There's even a built-in dialog editor to let you add dialog trees and create cut scenes! Make your own scenarios, or download someone else's: Telepath Tactics supports all of the above.

Telepath Tactics Tavern Battle

Telepath Tactics

ZeniMax Online Studios has posted a new preview of one of the monsters players will face in the upcoming The Elder Scrolls Online, the MMO adaptation of Bethesda's Elder Scrolls universe. The preview offers a look at the creation of art and models to bring the fiery Flame Atronach alive in the game.

Comfortable both in melee and at range, the flame atronach can lob deadly balls of fire, and it radiates a continuous burning aura, making it quite dangerous at any distance. Unwary adventurers may also find themselves scorched by the Daedra’s most impressive attack, a geyser of flames that erupts from the ground. The flame atronach can even be deadly once defeated, when it explodes in a last-ditch effort to destroy attackers.

ESO Creature Feature: Flame Atronach

The Elder Scrolls Online

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