Despite having gone gold earlier this month and receiving what looked like a final release date for October 3, X³: Terran Conflict isn't quite ready to be put to the test by its hardcore fans, after all. But don't worry, it won't be much longer. According to a recent update posted by German developer Egosoft, they had to push back the game's release to October 10, "due to unforeseen delays in the production process".

Aside from fixing whatever is wrong with it, the devs are also promising to "sweeten the waiting time" with more screenshots, videos and blog entries. And speaking of videos, we seem to have missed a few of them during our extended summer break. Well, no matter, here they are now.

We all know RPGs are almost on the brink of extinction – and I mean true RPGs, deep story, memorable characters, rapeable Ladies Aribeth, and stuff like that, not some junk food hack and slash that mindlessly (though sometimes, pretty addictive) set you up in a dungeon crawling with sponge blobs, pink rabid bunnies or giant weeds that seem to have an issue with your well being.

The last really good one to hit the market was Bioware’s Mass Effect (and we are still waiting for that PC “port” to make us drool even more), amongst others. As much as we have enjoyed it, we just couldn’t stop that saliva coming out when we heard Greg Zeschuk, BioWare’s general manager, bragging on the MTV channel about how great Mass Effect 2 will be.

First of all, we’ll have more side quests. More and better, he says. Quests that are actually worth doing, not just skip them for that main plot that needs solving RIGHT NOW.

"Side quests can sometimes be left on the side, so to speak. Pardon the pun. But a lot of times it's even just getting that whole game done, that whole first shot [that is important]. We look at Mass Effect 2 as incredibly exciting. Just the amount of effort and knowledge and know-how that went into building the technology for the first one is huge, and [we now have] the chance to actually make things a little bit richer."

Secondly, we’ll get the same treatment here as we’ve got in most BioWare/Black Isle sequels, more exactly an enhanced world, the solving of various technical issues that may (or may not) appear at some point or the other, basically, a truly revamped content that will make the player have an instant erection. What can I say, words are good, they have always been. Hopefully, this is not some media bullshit.

Gamespot scoop.

There was so much more I wanted to stuff into that title, but basically this is the story: Larry Niven, the sci-fi author best known for his Ringworld series, is working on a completely new game, together with the folks from Alchemic Productions. It's called Free Fall, it plays out in zero-gravity, and it's not based on any of his other books. Dunno about you, but I'm starting to feel the itch, drooling at this very first concept art.


If you're thinking about the old Ringworld adventure games from the early '90s, you can drop that thought right away. Kotaku managed to speak with Alchemic co-founder Rick Ernst about the project, and from what they write, Free Fall sounds like a lot more action-oriented game.

"Desiring more involvement than simply handing over his books as source material, Niven is working with Alchemic to create an entirely new fiction for the game, which will center around a nation of miners and spacers that inhabit Earth's Moon, Mars, and the asteroid belt. You begin the game as newly immigrated Earther looking to get a fresh start as a miner who soon finds himself embroiled in miner revolution."

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In a bit of a contradiction to this week's press release announcing the PC version of Mass Effect - which credits no other studio except BioWare - it appears that indie developer Demiurge Studios is actually the one doing the dirty work of porting this Xbox 360 RPG to PCs. As spotted on FiringSquad, the Massachusetts-based developer has revealed on its blog that it "began working with BioWare during the final stretch of development for the Xbox 360 version", adding gameplay and performance enhancements for the PC version. And they also let slip a few specific details.

"Mass Effect for the PC features a third command wheel so players can access squad members separately, a new inventory system, customized key mapping and a brand new minigame. Extra attention was focused on visuals, offering higher resolution graphics for an enhanced gaming experience for the PC."

Don't forget to check out the first screenshots from Mass Effect PC, if you haven't yet.

Freshly served with today's announcement of a PC version, here are the first eight Mass Effect PC screenshots we yanked from BioWare's website.


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Along with the expected confirmation of a "re-designed" PC version of BioWare's sci-fi role-playing game, Electronic Arts announced today that they'll be releasing Mass Effect on the PC in May 2008, after having struck a publishing agreement with Microsoft. Great news, certainly, even though the rest of their press release isn't exactly inspiring. Among the cutting-edge optimizations listed below, those "fully customizable controls" are an epic wonder of PR stupidity, much like rest of the so-called features. Bravo, EA, you have outdone yourself once again! What's next, telling us we can actually play it with a mouse and keyboard?

Optimized for the PC, Mass Effect for the PC incorporates the following features:
- Optimized controls designed specifically for the PC.
- High resolution visuals - Mass Effect for the PC features highly detailed textures, characters and environments.
- Fully customizable controls - PC gamers can re-map the control scheme any way they like.
- Run & Gun Control - Players can assign biotic powers or skills to 'hot keys' allowing them to play Mass Effect with a heavier focus on action.
- New decryption mini-game.
- New inventory screen GUI and functionality - The enhanced inventory system makes it easier for players to equip and modify their weapons and armor.

The only real novelty there is that "new decryption mini-game", which they're not elaborating on at this point. Probably just a cheap, worthless gimmick, anyway. Still, great news.

Update: We now also have the first screenshots.

- The reason why 2K Games cancelled Civilization Revolution for the Wii is now elucidated. The reason why MTV writes about games remains a mystery.

- Devil May Cry 4 (PS3, Xbox 360), Assassin's Creed DS, Sins of a Solar Empire and others are releasing this week. Next week, Duke Nukem Forever. Or when it's done.

X³: Terran Conflict was announced with a small bang by the self-centred devs from Egosoft, along with their partners from Koch Media. Ze Germans enjoy deluding themselves into thinking that the game will be ready to launch in Q3 2008, but by that time they'll probably decide they want to do another "full blown sequel" again (remember X²: The Threat X³: Reunion?), and go straight for X4.

The only conceivable logical reason why they would stop at X³ is that there is no special superscript character for the number 4, like there is for 2 and 3. Pretty clever, huh? And with that imba argument, I rest my case. Now let's see what they have to say:

"X³: Terran Conflict is a brand new, stand-alone game set in the universe of X³. It is the culmination of the X trilogy, with a grand finale that takes us all the way back to Earth's own solar system. Gamers can take on the roles of different characters in the X universe, or of a Terran military pilot, and experience a multitude of stories in the largest X universe ever featured - for X³: Terran Conflict will offer more missions than any other X game before. Meanwhile, X³: Terran Conflict will pose questions such as: How has Earth changed in all these years? And how will relations between Earth and its counterparts in the X universe develop?"

In space, no one can hear you snore.